Imagine Dragons has increasingly gained more and more followers since the release of "Night Visions" in 2012. They have made a huge impact in popular culture, bringing alternative rock to the forefront of popular hits. "Evolve" was released this June and has kept the true feeling of Imagine Dragons. The album also introduced hints of R&B, hip-hop, and EDM in addition to their usual alternative rock sounds.
Dan Reynolds' signature voice
Dan Reynolds has definitely kept his voice and tone true to what we have heard in the past albums "Night Visions" and "Smoke + Mirrors." Reynolds' voice is quite distinct and has a good variance in rhythm, depth, and character.
According to Dan Reynolds, the band brought on Justin Tranter to help them write "Believer." The band had never brought anyone else on to help them write songs before, so this was an interesting step for them to take. In an interview with ABC Radio, Dan Reynolds explained how "Evolve" was a turning point for the band in really developing what they want to be musically. He explained, "But I feel like it's definitely an evolution for Imagine Dragons, but what kind of evolution, I can't say yet."
"Believer" was the first single released, gaining an immediate positive reaction. It has been heard frequently on the radio and commercials. It has a tougher feel to it, which gives strength to whoever is listening.
The music video shows a fight going on with Dan Reynolds and an older man, which some fans view as an older version of Dan Reynolds.
"Thunder" was the second single released back in April, and gained immediate popularity with fans because of its unique style. Its emphasis on strong, staccato vocals in combination with the thunder-like percussion and high-pitched background voices really makes this song stand out from the rest of the album.
The uniqueness was pronounced even greater by the release of the music video that was shot in Dubai by Joseph Kahn, a music video director as well as friend of Taylor Swift.
"Rise Up", "Walking The Wire", "Mouth Of The River", and "Start Over" are all very reminiscent of the songs that were produced in "Night Visions," the first album by Imagine Dragons.
They use a similar rhythm with respect to the way it is sung and the percussion, as well as an emphasis on electric guitar. They are the most representative of the traditional alternative rock genre that Imagine Dragons has always displayed to their listeners.
"I Don't Know Why" and "I'll Make It Up To You" create an almost retro 80s feel to the album. These are different than the rest of the album in the sense that they have more of an eighties pop genre than the other songs on the album. The songs "Yesterday" and "Whatever It Takes" are great fun with respect to the different ways Dan Reynolds uses his vocal range and style. These songs have quite a bit more variance in the way they progress into hip-hop and EDM genres at certain points.
Perhaps the most interesting and distinctive song is the last one, "Dancing In The Dark." It is a lot slower with broken up vocals, which has not been heard from Imagine Dragons before.
Fans anticipate 'Evolve' Tour
We have yet to see if the "Evolve" tour has as much success as their past tours. Fans have raved about their shows and how much energy is put into the whole tour. However, as this album seems to stay true to the rest of Imagine Dragons' work, one can only assume they will continue to perform live as well as they have in the past.
