The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

Imagine Dragons stumbles but shows promise

 The upcoming band Imagine Dragons released their debut album Night Visions Sept. 4, providing an alternative indie sound that contrasts with present mainstream music.

The album starts with “Radioactive,” a song with an interesting  and unique sound. “Radioactive” begins with a chorus of guitars strumming flawlessly, then erupts into an almost dubstep track. The power of lead singer Dan Reynolds’ voice instantly draws listeners in.

Night Visions follows with songs “Tiptoe” and “It’s Time.” Both records are upbeat and energetic. Rather than using basic instruments to create a melody, Imagine Dragons relies on high-tech soundboards to be the backbone of these tracks.

Imagine Dragons’ momentum slows with the track “Demons.” This calm record exemplifies Reynolds’ talent and provides a perfect balance with Night Visions’ previous energetic songs.

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Once the album reaches tracks “On Top of the World,” and “Amsterdam,” however, the success of the album comes to a sudden halt. “On Top of the World” seems to be an  attempt at a reggae sound but ultimately creates a bashing sound of drums and lyrics. While “Amsterdam” has an interesting melody, its lyrics are impulsive and incomprehensible.

Night Visions hits rock bottom with failures “Hear Me” and “Every Night.” In “Hear Me,” Imagine Dragons attempts to create an innovative sound, but instead, Reynolds’ voice sounds like a series of croaks and screeches. “Every Night,” follows, sounding like a disastrous take on the popular band Fun.’s hit single: “Some Nights.” After this record, it is likely listeners will consider giving up on Imagine Dragons’ music.

Imagine Dragons makes a quick comeback with “Bleeding Out.” Rather than attempting a different genre of music, Imagine Dragons sticks to its alternative sound and manages to recreate the energy its initial tracks hold.

Unfortunately, just as Night Visions bounces back from a series of dreadful tracks, it tumbles back into catastrophe with “Underdog.” The only emotion this record provides is complete and utter confusion: the instruments sound robotic and lyrics incomprehensible.

“Nothing Left to Say” precedes “Underdog,” and while it proves to be a decent track, it does not live up to the beginning songs’ success.

Night Visions closes with tracks “Working Man” and “Fallen,” both which prove to be mediocre. All in all, the best part about these last two songs is the irony of the final tracks’ title: the quality of music in Night Visions has a great start, but by the end of the album, the quality of the records had “fallen.”

Although Night Visions provides multiple disappointing tracks, its few spectacular records show promise for a better sophomore album. If Imagine Dragons sticks to its creative indie genre, their popularity will catch on and create potential for more future hits.

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Imagine Dragons stumbles but shows promise