Score: 3.5/5 stars 
Three years following its debut, Imagine Dragons released its second studio album this past Tuesday titled “Smoke + Mirrors.”
The band promoted the upcoming release with a live Target commercial during the Grammys which wasn’t the best marketing scheme it could have come up with.
The band has been under a lot of pressure following the widespread success that its first album “Night Visions” garnered in 2012. Two of its singles were featured in popular movies released the same year.
“It’s Time” was featured in “The Perks of Being A Wallflower” and was the band’s first commercially successful song. Afterward, “Radioactive” was featured in “The Host” and added to the widespread media attention.
Overall, the record is deeply emotional, which brings fans closer to the music.
The album begins with “Shots,” the first single from the record. Don’t get too excited, as it bears little resemblance to the Lil Jon song we all know by the same title.
Quite the opposite of a party anthem, this song is an upbeat melody serving as a metaphor for shooting the things lead singer Dan Reynolds loves. It’s an apology for continuing to mess up a relationship he either was or is in.
By the time we get to the fourth track, “I’m So Sorry,” we get to see hints of experimentation with the band’s sound. The song is similar to one heard in the background of an action-packed movie trailer or TV show.
Halfway through the album is “Friction,” a song which truly stands out from the other tracks. The guitar plucking is reminiscent of Missy Elliot’s “Get Ur Freak On.”
Reynolds has publicly discussed his recent bout with depression and how it affected the process of making the album. This is evident on the final track, “The Fall.”
The singer pens the lyrics, “Maybe I’m destined to be distraught—always a reason breaking me down to my knees in the dead of night.”
The album also makes several references to gold and letting go, which is personified by the album art. The cover features hands bound together by gold ribbon setting a hummingbird free.
These references can be found in the tracks “Gold” and “The Fall,” where Reynolds sings, “Who can you trust when everything you touch turns to gold?” and “Wait for the colors to turn to gold,” respectively.
If the band’s infamous style of heavy synthesizers and guitars was what drew initial listeners, there’s good news: “Smoke + Mirrors” is the same concept.
There isn’t much of a difference stylistically between the albums, which could either mean Imagine Dragons wanted to stay true to this style in a world where music is becoming more blasé, or it isn’t brave enough to truly experiment with their sound.
Throughout the album there are occasional style nuances present, which give way to a deeper side of the band we haven’t seen. Perhaps if “Smoke + Mirrors” is successful enough to lead to a third album, we will hear more of that.
Whatever the reason, fans can rest easy knowing there’s a new album full of the familiar sounds they’ve been holding on to.