here they are:
"I Bet My Life" by Imagine Dragons: Seems like only yesterday Imagine Dragons debuted with their first hit, "It's Time" (which actually happened three Februaries ago). Since that time, they went on to score five hits total from their debut album, which is quite a feat in this day and age, and perhaps even more of one for a band who had hits with that many songs from their debut! Their fresh blend of pop, folk, dance, and rock won the hearts of millions in 2012 and well into 2013 as well. So what are their plans for 2014?! Well, now ID fans can get their first taste of their new sound (which isn't all that different from their old sound, really) with "I Bet My Life", which once again showcases their seamlessly catchy mix of folk, rock, and dance. Its chorus, which sounds slightly like a sped up, arena ready version of "Kumbaya", is perhaps the most memorable part of the song.
"Make You Better" by The Decemberists: The Decemberists have already garnered plenty of comparisons to R.E.M., and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck has even guest starred on two of The Decemberists' songs! "Make You Better" seems more like a tribute to two of Michael Stipe's heroines - Patti Smith and Natalie Merchant. Perhaps the members of The Decemberists wanted to know who their heroes' influences were, and that might have been how "Make You Better" came about. The lyrics of the song read like the quietly brooding poetry that Smith and Merchant became known for, with lines like "I loved you in springtime, I lost you when summer came", and "But we're not so starry-eyed anymore, like the perfect paramour you were in your letters". Could a "Because the Night" cover from The Decemberists be next on their list?!
