CD reviews: Imagine Dragons

Despite its title, the third album from Las Vegas outfit Imagine Dragons comes across more like chart placeholder, largely because of the presence of Swedish pop producers Mattman and Robin, who are just too sterile in their rendering of frontman Dan Reynolds’ emotional outbursts.

The band works best when it sounds like a group of dudes letting fly in a basement (Yesterday has some fine, instinctive guitar squalls).

Elsewhere, strong single Believer shows how these Dragons have breathed in hip-hop and dance music and let it fly in a bombastic stream.

• Imagine Dragons. Evolve. Interscope. 

• Three stars (out of five)

Single download: Rise Up
For those who like: The Killers, Coldplay

— Shane Gilchrist