>>The indie rock group Imagine Dragons released its sophomore album, “Smoke + Mirrors.” The band keeps with its recognizable style from the first album but has some more experimental elements, creating a mix of familiarity and originality. Influences from many styles of music can be found throughout the album, from folk to pop to electronic. Overall, I found the music pleasant, and the variety of music kept the album from becoming boring or repetitive. But there was very little that grabbed me to make me come back for more. There were a few songs that I thoroughly enjoyed, but none of them caught me like many of their hits from the previous album, “Night Visions.” This album doesn’t have anything that immediately jumps out as a chart-topping hit. In the end, I found the album pleasant to listen to, but never grabbed my attention in a way that made it truly great, a problem many second albums tend to have.
