Music Notes

Challenge Day 4 (Art in His Soul?)

Photo prompt:

I've chosen what appears to be an antique print of a fire breathing dragon as my prompt. And yes, since the blog is called "Music Notes" and I'm a fan… this will be a nonfiction post. Bear with me or perhaps, imagine dragons with me

Imagine Dragons and their charismatic, big-hearted lead singer Dan Reynolds have captured my heart for the past eight years… my goodness, has it been that long already Dan's catchy melodies and wholesome, heartfelt lyrics bring me comfort, adrenaline, and joy. I consider him a friend, insomuch as I know him deeply through his words, as well as I know any of you through your words.

As "loyal friends," we've been through a lot together, and many times I feel as though we're on the same wavelength. There was a time not so long ago, however, when I came close to boycotting ID.

Dan broke my heart when he divorced his wife Aja Volkman and almost immediately began dating someone else. I felt so much distaste towards him over the course of 2022 and '23, that I once ignited a firestorm among my Firebreather friends by comparing Dan Reynolds to Donald Trump! How could you, they all demanded. Well, I'm not a slavish fan girl. I call things as I see them.

My discovery of last year provided a much-needed distraction from the gossip surrounding Dan's divorce. Since ID had released a massive double album shortly before it happened, they lay low in 2023, which helped me avoid the decision coming sooner or later: to boycott or not.

When I wrote "I Almost Boycotted Imagine Dragons..."  on February 20th of this year, I explained my feelings in more detail and ended with the words "I figure if Imagine Dragons ever releases new content, I'll probably not boycott it, but approach it as objectively as I can and try to see if Dan Reynolds has any art left in his soul. Perhaps I'll let you know when I find out."

My moment of truth came about a month later, as ID announced the approach of a new album cycle, with the promise of a lead single very soon. I didn't know what to do. One way I dealt with my conflicted feelings was to channel how I felt about Dan Reynolds and my other favorite artist, Ryan Tedder, into a story about a band: "The Firemen" . I poured all my assumptions about Dan's arrogant attitude and Ryan's charming personality into two of the most colorful characters I'd ever created. This helped clear my head in preparation for ID's comeback.

By the time the next single was known to be Eyes Closed, out April 3rd, I was ready. I even thought I might write a blog post detailing my feelings about the new song for you.

Having to juggle music analysis and WdC activity was a new experience for me in April; I found myself with barely enough time, amidst real life, to write reviews, produce contest entries, and tally up everything at "WDC Dragon Vale "  while running around the site as a member of the House of Mormont in "Game of Thrones"  while still journaling my thoughts about ID's Eyes Closed and the accompanying music video. But I did it.

The unique voice of Dan Reynolds singing the opening words of Eyes Closed was a welcome sound to my ears: "I'm back from the dead, from the back of my head, been gone and facing horrors that should never be said…" It was like hearing an old friend I hadn't met in years. Within two days, I'd wholeheartedly embraced Eyes Closed and taken it as my theme song for WdC's Game of Thrones. "Note: And when the day broke, buried in violence So..." and "Note: My honors for participating in [Link To Item ..."

It was exactly the type of thing I was hoping and praying Dan would write for us as a comeback song: exaggerated, thickly metaphorical, bombastic, and "inward facing." Rather than writing an "outward facing" ditty about his new girlfriend, he wrote about turning within to do battle with the darkest depths of his own heart, a theme I know and love from his pen.

Since then, the album which followed the single has come out, and I couldn't be happier with it. Loom showcases Dan's songwriting at its best, with a perfect balance of absurdly over-the-top "inward" songs that resemble video game soundtracks, and heartfelt breakup songs which bring tears to my eyes as he mourns the loss of his marriage yet looks toward the future with hope and goodwill.

The one song where he allowed himself to talk about his new relationship, Nice to Meet You, is cheeky, yet innocent. At first glance, he seems to be bouncing off his ex-wife and the new woman and talking about "jealousy." But he explains   that he's talking not about his ex, but about his girlfriend's best friend, who at first thought it was a bad idea for her to be dating a rock star. Eventually they all discovered Dan isn't your ordinary rock star, and everything was fine from there.

In conclusion, Dan and I are "on good terms" again. His divorce was conducted as gently and tastefully as possible, his ex-wife is still his best friend, and if anything the experience of changing relationships has made him more mature in his outlook on life. I especially noticed this recently when I happened to play ID's 2015 song Hopeless Opus. I compared his dreary, self-absorbed gloom to the loyally optimistic and unselfish attitude he brings to the Loom song In Your Corner, and admired the emotional progress he's made over the years.

Tell me I'm right, tell me I'm wrong
But you know I've been here all along
In your corner…
Staying up late, playing our song
You know I've been here all along
In your corner…

These words apply as much to me as they do to his ex; Dan has always been "in my corner," even when I doubted him. I can only be grateful for such a good "friend."

Word Count: 1,039.