Imagine Dragons 'Origins' Rating: 3-1/2 (out of 5) Imagine Dragons probably could have spent more time polishing the weaker material, or writing better songs, but apparently thatвЂ™s not ReynoldsвЂ™ style. Other tracks are more problematic вЂ“ вЂњOnlyвЂќ is nothing but punchy filler, вЂњDigitalвЂќ explodes, then falls flat, and вЂњBoomerangвЂќ is silly, incomplete and not the least bit infectious. The songs may sound familiar and the lyrics may be platitudes, but theyвЂ™re rewarding on a primal level. вЂњOriginsвЂќ open with the cynical вЂњNatural,вЂќ the bombastic Imagine Dragons sound instantly recognizable as a riled-up Reynolds bellows, вЂњYou gotta be so cold to make it in this world/Yeah, youвЂ™re a natural.вЂќ Later, he grinds into the churning industrial cadence of вЂњMachineвЂќ to announce вЂњitвЂ™s about time to stand up,вЂќ and later still he funnels that energy into a more hopeful message of unification вЂ“ вЂњWeвЂ™re living for the same thing/Where did we all go wrong?вЂќ And on the percolating вЂњBullet in a Gun,вЂќ Reynolds fires off lines like rounds from an automatic weapon: вЂњIвЂ™m high, then IвЂ™m low, low/Stop, then I go, go/Bipolar, oh, oh.вЂќД®nlightening as that is, most fans will likely appreciate that Reynolds pulls out of his self-analysis to deliver the fist-in-the-air goods elsewhere, supported by his go-to producers Alex da Kid and Mattman & Robin. His self-awareness bubbles up in the charming rumble of вЂњCool Out,вЂќ where our hot-tempered hero fights his inner demons in an attempt to woo a laidback lover: вЂњI live my life in black and white/I know thatвЂ™s not what you would like.вЂќ The subsequent вЂњBad LiarвЂќ is darker as he sings вЂњI wish I could escape it вЂ¦ I canвЂ™t be what you want me to be,вЂќ while the propulsive вЂњZeroвЂќ finds the excitable singer detailing his love/hate relationship with anxiety.

Nevertheless, the aptly titled вЂњOriginsвЂќ gives lyrical context to what the fuss is all about.ДЇrontman Dan Reynolds is haplessly addicted to adrenaline.

Origins imagine dragons album