LOOM
On *LOOM*, Imagine Dragons’ sixth LP, Dan Reynolds and his band weave dexterously between poles. The album is playful at times but intense during others, building from the act’s signature pop-rock style to incorporate more elements of rap and electro than ever before. On *LOOM*, they also reckon with their own legacy, noting how the project simultaneously marks the end of one era and the beginning of something new. On “Take Me to the Beach,” Reynolds infuses his signature melodic delivery with a hopping pace, giving the song a gleeful edge even as he digs into hot-button issues like the surveillance state that surrounds us. The chorus extols the virtues of a warm, relaxing day on a sandy hideaway, but Reynolds uses the refrain as an opportunity to dig at his personality: “You take the snow/It’s way too cold/My heart is cold enough,” he sings. It’s funny, but the vocalist grimaces as he chuckles.
Imagine Dragons are a true pop landmark. Times and trends change, fashions come and go, but the Las Vegas group remain stock and still, like a lighthouse