Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Best of 2013: Imagine Dragons

Imagine Dragons is an alternative rock band from Las Vegas - with an impressive debut studio album, Night Visions (2012).

Of course, it's a 2012 album - but I found the gang and their songs halfway through 2013 - and hence, one of the best among the English songs I discovered in 2013 was from that album. Not a big fan of their lyrics, though they're in line with a lot of things I follow. It's because they don't make much sense in many places - but when they do, they're powerful. This post isn't about the lyrics though.

The music was great to listen to for, at least like, 7 out of 12 songs in the album - which is more than what I could say for any other album I came across last year. I ended up not liking most of the 2013 songs for some reason. Ok, so I'm going to list and talk about four of my favourites from their album, just in case you haven't heard them before.

Public Service, if you will.

Radioactive 




Easily the most popular of the lot with 100+ Mn views on youtube for multiple copies of the same, this was probably the reason they won the 'Breakout Band of the Year 2013' title from Billboard. Not my favourite of the album, but it's definitely right up there as a song. *Everyone* I referred this song to over the last few months loved it. Shit doesn't happen very often. Lyrics aren't great, but they're very much in line with the tune - with the right sounds ending the lines.

I'm intentionally not adding the actual music video for this one. It has the girl from the Percy Jackson movies, true, but the whole video kind of sucks - and has breaks where toys fight. I know. It's for some animal cruelty abolition cause, which is good. Just that most people don't get it and it, well, ruins the song.

Demons


My favourite song of the album, Demons is a very Linkin Park-ish song (Valentine's day), beginning slowly and building up to a crescendo.

Perfect lyrics at some places (in my opinion, of course) , like

When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It’s where my demons hide, It’s where my demons hide
Don’t get too close
It’s dark inside
It’s where my demons hide, It’s where my demons hide

...and so so standard (not 'bad', just standard) at some other places, making it an average song for me lyrics wise. The perfect parts of the song are perfect enough for me to call this my favourite among the lot, though.

Psst: Get to the end of the video to see the bit about Tyler Robinson Foundation and a little of their other big hit, It's Time.

Bleeding Out



Amazing tune, sometimes I just wonder why no other genius has done this before. This became like an instant favourite of mine. I advise you not to think too much about the lyrics with this one. Multiple levels of meaning are hidden there, although I'm guessing it wasn't intentional.

Amsterdam



No, not the Coldplay song. For some reason, bands like these have to name one song Amsterdam, don't they? Another good listen from the album, though it's AR Rahman-ish in the sense I like it better each time I listen to it. It may not get up there as an album favourite for anyone at all, but I bring it up here for the lyrics. Hear how it goes so bloody well with the tune and the beats. It's just amazing.

Notable Mentions:

He he.

A good number of people feel "It's time" is their favourite of the album. It's very good, yes, but somehow their music videos are very meh.




...and I think "I'm on top of the world, eh" is such a happy, happy song to listen to. It will brighten your day for sure.



Honorary mention - Yes - Seventh song. I'll stop. Listen to 'Every Night' if you liked the above, because it is just so Rahman-ish and might appeal to the Indian movie lover in you.

Ok. One more. Check out their Grammy 2014 Live performance of Radioactive with a rap twist by Kendrick Lamar. Was the best part of the entire day to some.

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Next Post? Reviewing (Actual review and not a fanboy promo? Nah...) an actual 2013 album. Non-English, Non-Indian. Any guesses?

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