65: INXS – Kick

Few groups influence music like INXS did in the 80s. I would argue their influence on popular rock and new wave created a "New Sensation". Get it? It's a play on the name of that song of theirs, "New Sensation". It's a song and it's how they rolled that's why it's a joke. Heh, well…

In 1987, one of those rare albums was released into the wild. INXS – Kick (1987) was set free to roam the earth and actually flourished as both a quality album and extremely popular one. Some say Kick was the missing link between commercial pop-rock and actual good music. The only previous sighting similar to this was back in the 70s with Fleetwood Mac's Rumors, but that album had long been upstaged by the lesser quality Thriller.

Kick came out and broke away from some of the song writing from previous albums that relied too heavily on synthesizers, instantly aging albums like "Listen Like Thieves", which has great songs packaged next to songs that sound too 80s, very dated when listening today.

Every song on Kick is a solid song with the versatility of either a concert rager or a simple moody accoustic haunter. Naturally good song writing is vital. The Farriss brothers knew how to craft a song that was to be delivered by Michael Hutchence, one of the best rock front men of the time. Hutchence could sing any song with the same sort of soul-driven charisma as Mick Jagger. I cannot underscore how great a frontman Hutchence was.

If you need to own any INXS album, I say own them all. But you definitely need Kick in the starter pack.

Related articles by Zemanta

• INXS Invite Ben Harper, Rob Thomas To Cover Their Classic Hits (beatcrave.com)
• Beck Covers INXS' "Kick" With Liars, St. Vincent and Os Mutantes (rollingstone.com)
• Beck's Record Club Covers INXS With Angst (idiomag.com)
• WATCH: Beck, St. Vincent, Liars Cover INXS (spin.com)
• Tuesday's Music Roundup (spin.com)

Popularity: 2% [?]