themusicaddict's Greatest CDs of All-Time: INXS' "Kick" (Updated December 14th, 2015)

Hello,

This is the first one of these Greatest CDs of All-Time blogs that I've done in awhile. As the title suggests I take one of the greatest CDs of all-time and break it down. Today's CD is by the Australian band INXS, led by the charismatic and tragic Michael Hutchence. INXS is one of the most overlooked bands from the 80's. Most people know at least one or two of their songs and probably like those. However INXS has at least 20 great songs. I have 94 versions of INXS songs on my iTunes. Of the 32 INXS songs I've rated, I've given 26 of them either 4 or 5 stars.

The musicians of "Kick" were Garry Gary Beers- bass guitar, Andrew Farriss- keyboards and guitar, Jon Farriss- percussion and drums, Tim Farriss- guitar, Kirk Pengilly- guitar, saxophone and vocals and singer Michael Hutchence.  Pengilly's sax made INXS one of the saxiest bands ever. His brilliant sax solos lifted many INXS songs to the next level. Don't trifle with the sax.

Powered by "Kick" (were they kick started?) INXS probably was the biggest band in the world the end of 1987 and for a part of 1988. "Kick" is an amazing CD so it makes sense that they briefly took over the world of music for those several months. "Kick" is about as close to perfect CD in terms of length you can find. A solid 12 songs in 39:42. The CD is long enough that you can enjoy and savor it, but not too long where it wears out it's welcome.

"Kick" came two years after "Listen Like Thieves", that CD said that INXS was a band on their way. "Thieves" is powered by songs "Listen Like Thieves", "What You Need" and "Shine Like It Does".  INXS has a song on the second best 80's soundtrack, "Pretty In Pink"- that song is "Do Wot U Do". Sure that's a throwaway song- but still a nice little pop gem. "Thieves" said that INXS were on their way, "Kick" said they were a band to be reckoned with.

1) "Guns In The Sky":

2) "New Sensation":

3) "Devil Inside":

4) "Need You Tonight"/ "Mediate":

5) "Mediate":

6) "The Loved One":



7) "Wild Life":



8) "Never Tear Us Apart":



9) "Mystify":



10) "Kick":



11) "Calling All Nations":



12) "Tiny Daggers":

How can one not like a CD that has "New Sensation", "Devil Inside", "Need You Tonight", "Mystify" and "Never Tear Us Apart"? Those are just 5 of the at least 10 very good songs on this CD.

As with many bands that have a gigantic CD, that CD can so many times mark the beginning of the end. That's the case with INXS. Three years after "Kick" came "X"- the title is a pretty good sign of how the band had peaked/ gone stagnant. "Suicide Blonde" is a decent song, but it's one of their lesser songs. Sadly the returns diminished over the next 3 CDs "Welcome To Wherever You Are", "Full Moon, Dirty Hearts" and "Elegantly Wasted".  Sadly in November, 1997 Hutchence died- what many believe was at his own hand. For the most part that was the last heard of INXS for several years until  their "Rock Star" emergence. That produced "Switch" which remarkably much better than anyone has the right to expect. Please see next blog. (Thanks to Wikipedia.org for much of the biographical information on this blog.)

themusicaddict