SMOKE + MIRRORS
| Imagine Dragons
SMOKE + MIRRORS
Smoke + Mirrors is the second studio album by American rock band Imagine Dragons. The album was recorded during 2014 at the band's home studio in Las Vegas, Nevada. Self-produced by members of the band along with English hip-hop producer Alexander Grant, known by his moniker Alex da Kid, the album was released by Interscope Records and Grant's KIDinaKORNER label on February 17, 2015, in the United States.[5] - WIKIPEDIA
Critic Reviews
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RollingStone
The combination of self-pity, grandiosity and leaden spirituality can get trying.
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billboard
'Smoke + Mirrors' Cherry-Picks Musical Styles.
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EW
Imagine Dragons will probably always sound too blustery to those allergic to stadium tricks, but Smoke’s big-tent charm makes stock rock-playbook moves feel refreshingly new .
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The Telegraph
thunderous
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ALLMUSIC
These guys are shameless and that's what makes them more fun than your average arena rockers.
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Boston Globe
Finds the Las Vegas-spawned quartet making sure to reach fans in the nosebleeds with easily digestible, melodic, mid-tempo paeans to angst.
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Los Angeles Times
Smoke + Mirrors puts across strong feelings, but it refuses to reveal how they work.
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New York Daily News
The band’s 'more-is-more' style adds up to less.
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musicOMH
To be blunt, much of Smoke + Mirrors is horrible to listen to.
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The Guardian
Their second album is largely flat-packed stadium pop at its most anonymous.
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CoS
The problem lies in their vision, and the fact that it’s either too narrow or too cynical to take seriously.
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THE INDIE SOUND
Overall it isn’t a complete flop.
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DIFFUSER
Smoke + Mirrors succeeds not only as an immersive aural journey, but also in providing plenty of songs that will keep them a mainstay on the radio airwaves.
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sputnik music
Until Imagine Dragons decides to start taking themselves seriously, we shouldn't either.
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plugged in
Ache for salvation and spiritual clarity even as they nurse myriad doubts and fears.
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JustRandomThings
We love it.
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VOX
Smoke + Mirrors should be the next album you listen to.
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Cryptic Rock
It is totally infectious, a joy to listen to.
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COOG RADIO.COM
The hopes were high for this record but many fans will be disappointed.
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MUSIC TIMES
The album was a lot better than I expected it to be.
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Drew's Reviews
Some of the songs make an immediate statement, others take a bit to ingest.
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immortal reviews
A solid rock album, but nothing groundbreaking.
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MUSIC FEEDS
Is smart, if not overly ambitious, showcasing their maturity, talent, and ability to take a few calculated risks.
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Student Life (Washington University of St. Louis)
Crafted an unobtrusive album with very few flaws.
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The Vinyl Groove
Proved themselves to be amorphous enough to keep pace with changing tastes.
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PPCORN
There were parts of the album that dragged, but that’s only a small thing compared to all of the wonderful things about the album.
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Daily Trojan
The band will continue to stay relevant in the contemporary music scene.
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CROSS CULTURE
If you approach their second album expecting a repeat of their first, you’ll likely be disappointed.
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USA TODAY
Musically, Imagine Dragons continues to make interesting uses of rhythm.
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ATWOOD MAGAZINE
Finest work to date!
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NINERTIMES
Meticulous with its messy clashes; its triumphant in its sadness.
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New York's Music News Source
Read the lyrics and see the messages.
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cleveland.com
May just be the cure for you.
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PATHFINDER
Album full of unique ideas and is a wonderful follow-up to Night Visions.
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Digital Spy
An album that feels more like a case of foggy vision than clear intent.
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KUBE
Fully recommend giving this album your time.
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Daily Bruin
The band reflects on the suffering of mankind and blends genres in a hazy ambivalence.
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WPGU 107.1 FM
This album may not be their masterpiece, but with a little more innovation, Imagine Dragons could some day make a great album.
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the pop break
They’re still experimenting with their sound, and finding out the direction they want to go in.
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The Oberlin Review
Imagine Dragons has yet to follow a single cohesive trajectory.
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babetalk
Falls just short of its expectations.
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Mast Media
Despite being less than perfect, Imagine Dragons’ “Smoke + Mirrors” is a good album worth lending an ear to.
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Loquitur
Listening to the lyrics will pack much more of a powerful punch than simply hearing the music.
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Michaela Mills
This album is all over the place in sound—but that is actually what gives it its charm.
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Post-Grad Music Reviews
It’s a dull album, lacking in almost every component, with only a few redeeming songs.
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Ranting About Music
Imagine Dragons copy a bunch of other people to find themselves. It doesn’t work.
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FORGE PRESS
Another effortless triumph.
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Rob's Wall of Music
Their lyrics remain honest.
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Renowned for Sound
The album is interesting it is ultimately confused.
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CaliberTV
They clearly sit on the pop end of the rock spectrum.
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Rock Star Dreams.com
Imagine Dragons pushes their artistic boundaries and delves into uncharted territory.
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The UPcoming
It has all the catchy hooks and crashing percussion you might expect,
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Bangor Daily News
Hits every one of its (overly broad) targets.
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VERITAS
The band has clearly grown in its sound and organization since their first album.
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Source
A boring listen this isn’t.
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LSU NOW
The record is deeply emotional.
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Eat Travel Rock
They were adventurous and tried new musical techniques while staying true to the electro rock that made them so popular.
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COTMA
Overall, side A wins, but side B has its gems.
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Joseph Burrows
Whilst some songs detract from the overall album experience, the attempt at experimentation should be celebrated.
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NEWS 1130
There’s a lot of everything here. Too much at times, as it can feel like instrumental overload.
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Entertainment Music Reviews
This collection is an over-produced, underwhelming bid to appeal to the masses.
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HearingDouble
Most of Smoke + Mirrors are boring experiments and confused pop songs dribbled across modern radio’s spectrum.
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HTF Magazine
Much of the album is destined for obscurity.
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OATBOAT
If you liked Imagine Dragons before, you’ll still like them.
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the west review
Does still have a surprisingly refreshing array of sounds.
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Insanity Radio 103.2
They’ve cemented their own identity and recorded a damn good album to boot.
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the arts desk
Smoke + Mirrors is characterized by pompous and dull pop rock.
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The Edge
Smoke + Mirrors is even better of the same absolutely incredible things.
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The Ithacan
Reflects band’s lack of cohesion.
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EVIGSHED MAG
Terrific second album.
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The Bulletin
Puts across strong feelings, but it refuses to reveal how they work.
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Poscast AF
Went into uncharted territory lyrically and musically.
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the Gazette
Powerful, organized chaos.
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The Clarion Ledger
“Smoke + Mirrors” is power pop fueled by a blend of discernible instruments and other studio-only effects that can come off too contrived.
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Revel in Sound
A couple decent tracks cannot save this album from being truly terrible.
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Toronto Paradise
Imagine Dragons have given it their best shot and have confidently hit the target, showing that they are anything but a one-trick wonder.
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F&F Presents
I found this record so polarizing!
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The Tufts Daily
Lacks imagination on disappointing sophomore attempt.
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WeKnowtheDJ
Jam-packed with energy yet unfailingly honesty.
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OCEN4NBLUE
I for one am a huge fan of it.
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Mentioned Reviews
It’s just a better version of their debut.
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