夢龍樂隊崛起 堪稱搖滾新勢力

Rock ‘n’ roll is a music genre many people thought was dying. But four young rockers from Las Vegas, US — better known as Imagine Dragons — are changing the landscape of rock music with a breath of fresh air.

很多人都認爲搖滾這種音樂形式正在走向萎靡。而來自美國拉斯維加斯的四人男子搖滾樂隊——“夢龍”樂隊卻爲搖滾界帶來了一股清新空氣，令搖滾樂界爲之一振。

Since exploding onto the music scene with their debut album Night Visions in September 2012, Imagine Dragons have quickly become one of the biggest breakout bands of 2013. Their impact on the music industry has been radioactive, just as the title of their hit song suggests.

自2012年9月發行首張專輯《Night Visions》後，“夢龍”樂隊迅速成爲2013年全美樂隊“當紅炸子雞”之一。正如其熱門單曲《放射物》一樣，“夢龍”在全球樂壇的影響力可圈可點。

And they’re still going strong. After taking over music chArts, holding sold-out concerts and performing at important award shows, Imagine Dragons just won five major prizes at this year’s Billboard Music Awards on May 18, including Top Rock Artist and Top Rock Album.

這支四人樂隊正在不斷成長、壯大。除了橫掃各大音樂排行榜，演唱會場場爆滿，獻唱重量級頒獎典禮以外，今年5月18日，“夢龍”樂隊還一舉斬獲了2014年美國公告牌音樂獎的五項大獎，其中包括年度最佳搖滾藝人以及年度最佳搖滾專輯。

Four years ago, Imagine Dragons were just an indie band playing at Las Vegas casinos to pay the rent for their shared apartment. Sometimes they even had to pay to play because they couldn’t sell enough tickets.

四年前，“夢龍”還是拉斯維加斯的一支獨立樂隊，他們靠在賭場裏表演來支付房租。有時因爲門票銷售不理想，他們甚至要自掏腰包去演出。

“Bands have asked me, ‘What do you attribute your success to?’ The two things I always say are, one, we never said ‘no’ to anything,” frontman Dan Reynolds told Billboard magazine in its cover story in July. “We’d play birthday parties, weddings, casinos. We wanted to perform and create as much as possible.”

去年7月，“夢龍”樂隊登上《公告牌》雜誌的封面故事，樂隊主唱丹•雷諾爾茲在接受採訪時表示：“許多樂團曾來討教我們樂隊的成功祕訣，我通常會告訴他們兩點。一是我們從不說‘不’，不管是生日派對、婚禮、還是賭場，我們都來者不拒。我們想盡量爭取表演與創作的機會。”

The other thing, according to Reynolds, is luck. After independently releasing three EPs, Imagine Dragons were signed by Interscope Records, one of the major labels in the US that has many popular artists including Lady Gaga and Eminem.

雷諾爾茲口中的另一點就是運氣了，在樂隊獨立發行三張EP之後，他們就順利簽約美國知名唱片公司環球唱片，該公司旗下擁有大批當紅藝人，包括Lady Gaga、說唱歌手埃米納姆等。

However, you will understand that the band’s success isn’t all thanks to sheer luck when you hear their music. Besides typical elements of rock music, such as the heavy sound of guitar and drums and self-empowering lyrics, Imagine Dragons have successfully incorporated their folk influences from their indie music roots into their mainstream songs.

然而，當你聆聽他們的音樂時，你就會明白他們的成功絕非幸運使然。“夢龍”的音樂融入了搖滾樂的經典元素，除了吉他與鼓的重金屬合音、勵志歌詞等搖滾樂標誌性元素外，他們還成功將獨立樂隊時的民謠元素植根於現下的大衆音樂作品中。

Described by Rolling Stone magazine as “a mixture of Mumford & Sons and Coldplay”, the usage of instruments in their songs is strongly influenced by folk music, and the themes they explore range from anxiety and depression to love, survival and philosophy.

《滾石》雜誌稱他們的音樂是“蒙福之子樂隊與酷玩樂隊的融合體”，其歌曲中器樂的運用深受民謠音樂的影響，作品主題既有焦慮彷徨、也有溫暖真情，從生存到人生哲學，均有涉獵。

If you aren’t familiar with Imagine Dragons’ music, you had better get on it fast, because Reynolds has promised a follow-up album for some time later this year. And then, the world of music will very likely be shaken once again by their rocking spirit.

如果你對“夢龍”樂隊的音樂尚不瞭解，那就最好趕緊補上這一課，因爲雷諾爾茲已許諾他們要在今年晚些時候推出新專輯。屆時，他們的搖滾精神勢必再次震撼整個樂壇。