INXS – KICK (Hybrid SACD)

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Vocals – Michael Hutchence Guitar, Saxophone, Vocals – Kirk Pengilly Bass – Garry Gary Beers Drums, Percussion – Jon Farriss Guitar – Tim Farriss Keyboards, Guitar – Andrew Farriss Written by Michael Hutchence (1), Andrew Farriss (2-3, 4, 7-9, 10-12), Michael Hutchence (2-3, 4, 7-9, 10-12), Andrew Farriss (5), Ian Clyne (6), Gerry Humphreys (6), Rob Lovett (6) 1 Hybrid SACD Stereo Studio Label : Analogue Productions Original Label : Atlantic Recorded 1986 - 1987 at Rhinoceros Recording, Sydney, Australia and Studios De La Grande Armée, Paris, France Engineered by David Nicholas Mixed By Bob Clearmountain Produced by Chris Thomas Mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound Photography by Grant Matthews Art Direction, Design by Nick Egan, Bob Withers, Ken Smith Originally released in October 1987 Reissued in 2024 Tracks: Guns In The Sky New Sensation Devil Inside Need You Tonight Mediate The Loved One Wild Life Never Tear Us Apart Mystify Kick Calling All Nations Tiny Daggers Reviews: ""What You Need" had taken INXS from college radio into the American Top Five, but there was little indication that the group would follow it with a multi-platinum blockbuster like Kick. Where the follow-ups to "What You Need" made barely a ripple on the pop charts, Kick spun off four Top Ten singles, including the band's only American number one, "Need You Tonight." Kick crystallized all of the band's influences -- Stones-y rock & roll, pop, funk, contemporary dance-pop -- into a cool, stylish dance/rock hybrid. It was perfectly suited to lead singer Michael Hutchence's feline sexuality, which certainly didn't hurt the band's already inventive videos. But it wasn't just image that provided their breakthrough. For the first (and really only) time, INXS made a consistently solid album that had no weak moments from top to bottom. More than that, really, Kick is an impeccably crafted pop tour de force, the band succeeding at everything they try. Every track has at least a subtly different feel from what came before it; INXS freely incorporates tense guitar riffs, rock & roll anthems, swing-tinged pop/rock, string-laden balladry, danceable pop-funk, horn-driven '60s soul, '80s R&B, and even a bit of the new wave-ish sound they'd started out with. More to the point, every song is catchy and memorable, branded with indelible hooks. Even without the band's sense of style, the flawless songcraft is intoxicating, and it's what makes Kick one of the best mainstream pop albums of the '80s." AllMusic Review by Steve Huey. "Kick was Australian pop-rock band INXS’s sixth album, released in late 1987. The INXS snowball had been gathering momentum through the 80s, but 1988 was when they hit the bullseye. Michael Hutchence’s smouldering sexuality, combined with the band’s musicianship and some classic songs caught the ear of the casual music listener. Kick didn’t take off until the band executed a 16-month world tour and released the single Need You Tonight, which reached number one in the US: suddenly, the rest of the world took notice. Between 1988 and 1989, Kick went on to sell nearly 20 million copies. Bassist Garry Gary Beers, so good they named him twice, was and remains a highly capable groove merchant. Fusing rock, pop, funk and dance rhythms, his work with drummer Jon Farriss is exemplary. Although occasionally seen with G&L basses, for the recording of Kick and most of his career with INXS, Beers was a walking advert for Fender Precision basses, strung with Rotosound Swing Bass roundwounds and hooked up to Ampeg rigs. Electronic drums and power chords signal the album-opener Guns In The Sky, Hutchence’s vocal spitting across the track, before we get to the jangly-guitared New Sensation, where Beers’ pedalled bassline provides the drive and foundation for the rest of the band’s groove-laden rock/pop hybrid. Devil Inside was the album’s second single and is the perfect foil for Hutchence’s sensual vocal delivery. Throughout the album, you can hear that the band are upping their game and taking on modern technology – especially when it came to rhythms – to reinforce their guitar-heavy sound. Need You Tonight was a classic single and remains the band’s signature tune. Sparse yet busy, electronic but organic, it reached the top of the charts in the US and around the world – and suddenly, INXS were cool. Never Tear Us Apart also became a classic in its own right. Beers’ picked Precision tone stands out in all its glory, as it does on the final single Mystify, rounded and punchy with some split-coil grit. Kick, with its horn-laden entry, is swept along by Beers’ constantly moving bassline in the verses, which reverts to a pedalling line in the chorus to make way for Kirk Pengilly’s colourful sax playing. Calling All Nations and Tiny Daggers are excellent illustrations of the band’s ability to mix clean and distorted guitar parts with great effectiveness – this was a strong element in the band’s signature sound." Guitar World Reviews by Mike Brooks Ratings: Discogs : 4.33 / 5 Show more