The dream of the ’80s is alive in M83. For the past 15 years, the French synth-pop group has splashed around with the sounds of the esoteric pop decade while still embracing accessibility and direct hooks, but latest effort, Junk, dives straight into the deep end. The record, which comes as a surprise left-turn after the huge popularity of 2011’s double album Hurry Up We’re Dreaming and mainstream break-out “Midnight City,” finds the band dashing expectations and setting its sights on more insular songs.
While there’s no big follow-up to “Midnight City” anywhere in sight on Junk, M83 works well on this smaller scale, discovering the heart at the center of excessive, pompous 1980s pop music. Sentimental closer “Sunday Night 1987” presents a reminder that beauty can still be found in the cheesy ’80s formula and “For the Kids” plays like some lost Disney theme.
Anthony Gonzalez, the main artistic mind behind M83 and whose voice was integral to Hurry Up We’re Dreaming, remains on the sidelines for several tracks on Junk, instead handing over lyrical duties to Beck on “Time Wind” and Mai Lan Chapiron, who takes the reigns on four songs, one of which (“Go!”) also features legendary axe-man Steve Vai on guitar.
Junk is not as cohesive as its audacious predecessor, but the record doesn’t set out for the same goals. Junk looks to expose old ripples in underappreciated ‘80s pop and bring them back in delicate ways, not in over-the-top, unstoppable melodies—a strategy that the band finds to much success.
M83 headlines the Pabst Theater on Wednesday, October 19 at 7 p.m. with openers Shura.
Stream of the Week
New voices are emerging from the Milwaukee music scene at such a blistering pace it’s been hard to keep up lately. But don’t let the new five-song EP from neo-soul singer Fivy pass you by. The strength of Dreamscape doesn’t hit you right away; rather the enigmatic balance between jazz, electronic music and R&B works its way through your system after repeated listens. And at less than 12 minutes, cueing up this one again and again is a breeze.
This Week in Live Music
Monday, October 17: Gojira with Tesseract at Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m. ($27.50) – (1032 N. 4th St., PabstTheater.org)
Also: Maal & Morris with Fat Tony, Tom Richman, Zed Kenzo and DJ Mike Regal at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. ($8 advance; $10 door) – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
Tuesday, October 18: Haybaby with Ruth B8R Ginsburg and Ian Olvera at Company Brewing, 9:30 p.m. ($7) – (735 E. Center St., CompanyBrewing.com)
Wednesday, October 19: M83 with Shura at The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m. ($39.50) – (144 E. Wells St., PabstTheater.org)
Also: Boz Scaggs at Potawatomi’s Northern Lights Casino, 8 p.m. ($74-$84) – (1721 W. Canal St., PaysBig.com)
And: NO/NO with Ravi/Lola, Chook Race and Trauma Harness at Company Brewing, 10 p.m. ($8) – (735 E. Center St., CompanyBrewing.com)
And: Lawsuits with Eagle Trace at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. ($10) – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
Thursday, October 20: Tegan and Sara with Torres at The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m. ($32.50) – (144 E. Wells St., PabstTheater.org)
Also: Busdriver with Jaill and Metasota at Mad Planet, 9 p.m. ($8 advance; $10 door) – (533 E. Center St, Mad-Planet.net)
And: Dean Ween Group with The Meat Puppets at Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m. ($25) – (1032 N. 4th St., PabstTheater.org)
And: Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends with Ifihadahifi and Fox Face at Frank’s Power Plant, 10 p.m. ($5) – (2800 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., FranksPowerPlant.com)
And: Garrett Klahn (Texas Is The Reason) with Rx Drugs at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. ($10) – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
Friday, October 21: Mason Jennings with Ricky Ganiere at The Backroom at Colectivo Coffee, 8 p.m. ($25) – (2211 N. Prospect Ave., PabstTheater.org)
Also: The Fox & The Hounds with The Bang Bang and Devil Met Contention at Club Garibaldi, 9 p.m. – (2501 S. Superior St., ClubGaribaldis.com)
And: Widespread Panic at The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m. (SOLD OUT) – (116 W. Wisconsin Ave., PabstTheater.org)
Saturday, October 22: Brand New with The Front Bottoms and Modern Baseball at the Rave, 7:30 p.m. (SOLD OUT) – (2401 W. Wisconsin Ave., TheRave.com)
Also: Asatta with Sun God Ra, Snow Burial and Sire at Club Garibaldi, 9 p.m.
And: Widespread Panic at The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m. (SOLD OUT) – (116 W. Wisconsin Ave., PabstTheater.org)
Sunday, October 23: Failure at Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m. ($27.50) – (1032 N. 4th St., PabstTheater.org)
Also: Joan Baez at The Pabst Theater, 7:30 p.m. ($49.50-$75) – (144 E. Wells St., PabstTheater.org)
And: Widespread Panic at The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m. (SOLD OUT) – (116 W. Wisconsin Ave., PabstTheater.org)
And: Breaking Benjamin at The Rave, 8 p.m. ($29-$34) – (2401 W. Wisconsin Ave., TheRave.com)
