At first, listen, this song is reminiscent of folky pop plucked ballads from years past such as “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz or Renegades by X Ambassadors if you want to lean toward the more alternative pop-rock version of that. We’re introduced to Wayne Sermon’s extremely intricate guitar rhythm which loops along for most of the song without change. I took the liberty of formulating what he composed below. Marvel at its brilliance!
(Four chord pluck)(Infinity) = precursor for a basic pop song.
Now I understand the characteristics of pop music as well as the next person who’s ever expressed interest in making music. It’s simple. Meant to be listened to over and over again without effort to act as a sickly pleasant background song to tie the whole moment together and create amazing “core memories”. The founders of this genre some odd 15–20 years ago did something special.
This was because, in a time when most popular music was loud, distorted, and HAD to make a statement, the understated and mellow delivery of what would become the catalyst for pop music as we know it today was a welcome minimalist shakeup to the turbulent and grungey energy of the ’90s. It was fresh and offered a sense of serene solace from the edged noise that filled every current of the mainstream at that time. This simple approach was new and scarce at the time and that’s why it worked. However, two decades later, the over-saturation of the genre has given it the same nearly-obsolete musical relevance as its predecessor. This is especially disappointing to see from a band as talented as Imagine Dragons.
This is a multi-genre band with over 13 years of experience recording, writing, and playing shows to millions of fans across the world. They’ve produced epic anthems to understated heartbreakers all with stunning musicality. This leads me to ask the question…
“Why does it seem like they’re taking a step backward?”
Don’t get me wrong I genuinely enjoy the band and listen to their work frequently. Though something has been off ever since their album “Evolve”. Particularly in the song “Thunder”. The lyrics are uplifting for someone who considers themselves the underdog, a great sentiment that has kept individuals such as myself going in hard times. Beyond the message, we find a lackluster instrumental that seems like it panders to the lowest common denominator of pop music targeting mass appeal and eventually resulting in a loss of distinguishable identity for the fans who put you in the position you hold in the first place. In all honesty with the complexity and sound of the songs they put on nowadays, it might as well just be Dan Reynolds on stage alone with pre-recorded backing tracks.
The same problem has carried on six years later to their newest album ‘Mercury’ and yes there are some great standouts in the first act of the album they’ve released thus far and definitely is still worth the listen. Nevertheless, with songs like ‘One Day’ that feel like filler pulled from Interscope Records’ in-house writer's book of basic pop songs that remind me of other basic pop songs, I don’t see the band on a trajectory to maintain this world-stage level status. I fear that they will fade into musical oblivion if Dan Reynold’s crew doesn’t continue to try to push their sound into places they or anyone else had been before. It happened to Maroon V and it can happen to our favorite Pop-Rock gods as well but I’m not ready to label them sell-outs just yet. (I am close though.)
I am perplexed as to what the future may hold for the band based of their most recent outing.
In conclusion: Good song. Great band. Lazy effort.
