Junk

1. ThatNiceGuy_Jay

   Apr 9, 2016

   10

   Let me start with a visual:
   
   You're in a retro 70's Bar, kind of like a Good Times theme and you're a guest, feathered hair, roundedLet me start with a visual:
   
   You're in a retro 70's Bar, kind of like a Good Times theme and you're a guest, feathered hair, rounded glasses, collar up, and rocking your best bell bottom jeans.
   
   As you stay in this 70's bar, these performers begin to play the piano (Do It, Try It), the saxophone (Go!, Walkway Blues, Road Blaster), and even an old dusty harmonic (Sunday Night 1987). The audience, along with you are just clapping along and having a great time!
   
   You can't help but feel this free, good hearted energy when listening to this album, like you've stepped into a sitcom with Henry Wrinkle, Goldie Hawn, and John Ritter.
   
   I really appreciate this album because it's not being made to sell to the most current audience like most artists. It's for every generation, ranging from late 60's to 2016!
   
   If you're reading this, and are questioning whether M83 carries Hurry up into this album, the answer is no they did not. This is totally different from their previous work and it's unique and special for that specific reason. The featured artists on this album raise this record to new heights. All in all, M83 does what they do best, they take their listener on a trip into a different world, and in this case, a retro space ride through the galaxy!… Expand

   • 9 of 9 users found this helpful
2. GeeMan81

   Apr 22, 2016

   10

   I can't stress this more......but please ignore the naysayers on this. I've been a fan of M83 since the beginning and Junk doesn't in anyI can't stress this more......but please ignore the naysayers on this. I've been a fan of M83 since the beginning and Junk doesn't in any 'ruin' their 'sound'. It's just different. It's the purest of pop music, but done by somebody with a hyper musical intelligence. Beginning to end, the songs have more life, more character and more warmth than most records could only dream of, Album of the year? It's a damn strong contender.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
4. GamerMeioSangue

   Aug 29, 2020

   9

   Engraçado a critica ter falado tanto o quanto esse álbum era ruim por ser nostálgico e brega ao pegar sons vintages e bem clichês. E hoje emEngraçado a critica ter falado tanto o quanto esse álbum era ruim por ser nostálgico e brega ao pegar sons vintages e bem clichês. E hoje em dia a sonoridade desse álbum ser quase uma trending pra vários projetos recentes.
   Anthony Gonzalez sempre a frente mesmo né.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
5. Slowave

   Apr 26, 2016

   8

   I am not sure why there's so much disdain for this album. While the best song on the last album was better than any of these, this album isI am not sure why there's so much disdain for this album. While the best song on the last album was better than any of these, this album is more consistently good throughout, and has the feel of a concept album. It's a grower, but it grows fast. As for rehashing the 80's... maybe it is a bit cliche now, but there's something fresh about M83's interpretation of it, and no one else has managed to make it as convincing as this, or reached for the melodic quality of that Duran Duran/Depech Mode niche that M83 can truly explore and compliment. Nothing to "high art" about this either. It's just entertainingly good and casting a clever wink, everything from album cover to album title. It's good!… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. charvi4

   Sep 11, 2016

   7

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. French synthpop, dreampop band led by Anthony Gonzalez 7th LP. Coming from a well accepted album `Hurry up, we're dreaming´, which had a few pretty great songs but for me too much pointless tracks, the band had a lot of pressure on releasing this LP. Three long years later, Anthony and the rest surprise everyone with an album entitled `Junk´. The name was given in order to criticize the fact that the big majority of people listen only to 2 o 3 songs of each albums, not giving attention to the rest. And, ironically, M83 has given reasons in the opposite direction with this LP. `Junk´, formed by 15 songs, encourage people to only listen to a few tracks by having to much “junk”, too much pointless songs. Just to clear out, everyone can like this pointless songs, indeed I like some of them, when I say they are pointless I´m thinking about the global context of the album and the band.
   As always the M83 LP reinvent the vintage pop from the mid 70´s, mid 80´s with typical saxo, guitar and harmonica solos from that decade. As always M83 deligth us with some extraordinary instrumentation and production. However, the vocals disappointed me very much in several songs like `do ti, try it´or ´Sunday night 1987´ but the worst part was, as always, the lyrics. Putting aside the vocals, `Junk´ has some good dance songs like ´Do it, try it´, `Go!´ (awesome guitar solo of Nicolás Fromageau) and `Laser gun´ (this last two with the collaboration of the french singer MAI LAN). It also has a big list of ballads like `Solitude´ and `For the kids´ (with Sussane sundfor) with great instrumental solos from the 80´s. Although I really enjoy this two I mention, there are a few ballad tracks that left over like `Moon crystal´ and `Atlantique sud´. My personal favourite song is ´Walkaway blues´in which digital M83 sound and retro sound are combined together perfectly.
   
   My conclusion is that Anthony Gonzalez has once again shown that he is a creator genius and that Nicolas is an awesome soloist, but they have to keep working on vocals and LP filling.
   
   I give this album a 7,2.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
7. TSBTobi

   Apr 10, 2016

   5

   First of all, I must admit that M83 is one of my favourite bands - probably even my most favourite band. I really like all of their Albums,First of all, I must admit that M83 is one of my favourite bands - probably even my most favourite band. I really like all of their Albums, some are only quite okay (Digital Shades), some are extremely nice to listen (Self-titled-album, Dead Cities, Saturdays = Youth) and some are absolutely great (Before the Dawn and especially Hurry Up, We're Dreaming - my favourite Album, not only by M83, but in general). The soundtrack works are also really interesting.
   And then, there is Junk. I would really like to call this another great M83 Album, but I just can't...
   
   Yes, there are some really cool Songs on Junk, for example my favourite track, Road Blaster - it's probably the closest Anthony comes to the synth-pop-heights of Midnight City and Reunion. Also the instrumental tracks The Wizard and Tension are really great and remind me of one of the reasons why I love M83 so much: Beautiful and emotional synth melodies, carefully and thoughtfully arranged and produced.
   Solitude is kind of the dark horse of the Album, reminds me of the emotional M83 songs like Wait, Outro or Farewell/Goodbye - though it does not transport the same amount of emotion for me.
   
   Then there are the songs that are still quite okay and nice to listen: Do It, Try It, Go!, Walkway Blues (which has great verses and a very interesting instrumental part in the end, but an incredibly awful vocoder-sung-chorus), Time Wind and Bibi the Dog (another vocoder-experiment in the middle section that has gone completely wrong)
   
   Laser Gun starts quite okay, but in the end it turns into a real awful mess. Sunday Night 1987 is a bit boring and doesn't give me the goosebumps that I expect from M83's music. The two other ballads, For the Kids and Atlantique Sud, are just awful, they sound like some stereotypic cliché-loaden-ballads that could be performed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, but not on a M83-album.
   
   All in all, Junk is not completely bad but it can not stand for my high expectations. There are some great ideas, even some great wole songs, but also a lot of... yeah, Junk.
   I often missed the old M83-feeling on this record: Where are the power, the deep emotion and the epic soundscapes of songs like Unrecorded, Teen Angst, We Own the Sky, Wait and Outro? Where are the catchy and beautiful melodies of Sitting, Kim and Jessie, Couleurs, Midnight City and Reunion?
   Let's just hope, Anthony will bring them back very soon...… Expand

   • 1 of 2 users found this helpful
8. Glowguy

   Jun 22, 2016

   1

   The name of the album pretty much sums it up. This was the worst album I've heard all year. I rarely rate an album this low but I hated it.The name of the album pretty much sums it up. This was the worst album I've heard all year. I rarely rate an album this low but I hated it. Shockingly bad compared to their first effort which I enjoyed quite a bit.… Expand

   • 0 of 3 users found this helpful

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