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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Kick

INXS

1987

Kick

Album Summary

This album has been submitted by a user and is not included in any edition of the book.

Kick is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band INXS, released on 19 October 1987 through WEA in Australia, Mercury Records in Europe, and Atlantic Records in the United States and Canada. The album was produced by British producer Chris Thomas, recorded by David Nicholas in Sydney and Paris and mixed by Bob Clearmountain at Air Studios in London. The band's most successful studio album, Kick has been certified six times platinum by the RIAA and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200. The album also spawned four US top 10 singles, "New Sensation", "Never Tear Us Apart", "Devil Inside" and "Need You Tonight", the last of which reached the top of the US Billboard singles charts. Upon its release, Kick was noted for being in sync with the visual media of the late 80's, which is instantly evident in the album's opening track "Guns in the Sky"; the song described the state of the world and its obsession with arms. The rest of the album focuses on themes of fun, love and excess; "New Sensation" and "Calling All Nations" are both about a party lifestyle, while "Never Tear Us Apart" describes an instant connection between two people who form an unending bond. The lyrics to "Devil Inside" are about a life of excess.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.56

Votes

210

Submitter

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Reviews

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May 05 2024
4

Flabbergasted that this wasn't on the original list.

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Apr 11 2024
5

I'm Australian and grew up in the late 80s/early 90s. I've heard this album more times than I've heard my own name. I owned a copy as a kid, and the singles are still played daily - quite literally every day - on most rock radio stations. If you say "pulling a Michael Hutchence" in Australia, everyone will know EXACTLY what you mean. INXS is so popular here that they had a fuckin TV competition to find a new singer... in 2005. They hadn't put out a single for 10 years by that point. Also, a mate of mine is friends with one of the Farriss brothers (forget which one) and by all accounts he's a total loony. Kick is a GREAT album. 5/5.

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Jan 26 2024
3

A romp. But honestly, I don't know what niche it covers that isn't already covered, other than Australian.

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Mar 13 2024
3

When I was in college, probably around the time this album came out, I worked as supplemental security at an outdoor concert venue on our campus. They only hired students as extra security for the "big" acts that came through, so I got called to work the INXS concert. Basically we had to walk around in the woods along the fence line and try to stop people from sneaking in. Once it got dark, it was useless trying to keep people out, so we just took bribes from people wanting to get in. I couldn't hear much of the concert, but the INXS roadies brought us some beer to drink while we were hanging out in the woods, so that was cool. Anyway, onto the music. It's alright, but nothing I find that special or interesting. I like Michael Hutchence's voice, but musically it's sort of boring and simplistic. Some of the guitar riffs (if you can call them that) almost make me laugh - just like two chords repeated duh-duh.. duh-duh. Must have been excruciating to play over and over again from one night to the next. 3 stars.

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Feb 18 2024
4

Chock full of hits that were ubiquitous during the era. Don't understand how this is not on the actual list. Could easily take the place of the Triffids album from 1987 if we want to swap Australian bands.

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Feb 29 2024
4

First of the user-selected albums I was really surprised was not on the official list (though I think the band did feature there, presumably in an album more favored by the critics than the hoi polloi). This isn't all killer but it's all good, and what is killer are some pretty damn iconic rock hits.

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May 09 2024
4

Great 80s guitar pop. Arguably a more enjoyable, catchier, easier listen than U2โ€™s 80s albums. One of my favourites and glaring omission from the book. Pleased someone else agrees! I also agree with the person who felt the guitar sound was weak - it does have a lot of treble and a lack of bass and body, which would have given it a more muscular sound.

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Jan 26 2024
3

This is the soundtrack to my mother-in-law's house. I don't care for it much as a full album but by God does it have some bangers.

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Feb 10 2024
5

Underrated masterpiece alert! 'Kick' is another flawless record left behind from the original '1001' list; I could listen to on repeat. All killer, no filler โ€“ this is timeless rock at its best and a career-defining moment for one of Australia's greatest bands

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Mar 07 2024
5

Very important 80s record. Should have been on the list. Top tier and era-defining.

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Jun 02 2024
5

One of my favorite albums ever. Period. Brilliant. Every song is perfect. How is the not in the book? I am flabbergasted! 5/5

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Jun 08 2024
5

Brilliant album - start to finish - this is incredible. 5/5

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Oct 09 2024
5

Definitely part of the soundtrack of the late 80s! A really great album had me seeking out more INXS back then.

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Oct 09 2024
5

Oh man, why wasn't this in the project? This defined the late '80s, I think! Why haven't I heard these songs in so long? And all together on one magical album! I wish I'd bought this back then. Horn section! I was so happy to listen to this today!

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Oct 26 2024
5

โ€œcertified six times platinum by the RIAA and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.โ€ โ€ฆ I donโ€™t know guys, I guess that statement should give an album a shot to be heard before died. Not saying that is a very very good album (which I think so) just because of that, but come on, this album did make an impact in musical culture based on those numbers; not being listed even once in any edition of the books it is just non sense, do we really need a less-than-3-years-old album in the list instead of Kick by INXS? I donโ€™t think so. Make some room Dimery!!!

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Nov 01 2024
5

A stellar album. Though I wasn't the biggest INXS fan at the time, there's no denying that this tracklist and the variety of hits on this one album is exceptional. Though there is an INXS sound, I do feel that their variety/breadth is greater than most. The non-hit tracks are all pretty solid, so there isn't too much of a dip anywhere on this release. Never Tear Us Apart and Mystify are my favorites. Really enjoyed.

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Nov 01 2024
5

Just some really good songs on this album. It doesn't have all my favorite INXS songs, but still really powerful. The way need you tonight goes straight into mediate is simply, very cool.

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Mar 27 2025
5

3 or 4 rad tracks on here. The rest of the album is a bit of a letdown for me, but the strength of the singles just about keeps it in the 5 star club.

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Jun 13 2025
5

Like many other reviewers I just canโ€™t believe this album isnโ€™t on the original list. Theyโ€™re really telling me we needed multiple Tim Buckley albums and they didnโ€™t put INXS Kick on there? Thatโ€™s crazy. This is a great album

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Jan 27 2024
4

How or why Kick is distinct is unclear. It's a run-on sentence of tropes, starting with grunted ad-libs. Hutchence's voice lacks the Australian grit, which is one thing parting the band from country. I got a lot of whiplash, listening to something so totally un-serious, and that persona worked. For Kick really is a persona, loud and too concerned with parties as the one thing, but a fun hang.

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Feb 11 2024
4

Another classic album for which it is a shame it's not included in the books. With 4 successfull hitsongs it would deserve its place. They sure love the reverb in the vocals. And the guitar riffs are very funky.

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Feb 25 2024
4

Awesome! Start to finish a great album. It might appear to be 'just a pop record' but there's a lot more going on here (at least I think so โ˜บ๏ธ)

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Mar 08 2024
4

7/10. Pretty good, nothing drive me crazy though.

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May 16 2024
4

A late 80s New Wave release. I really like the lush atmospheric production, cool mood, funky groove, pop accessibility, high energy and danceability, and diverse styles. "Need You Tonight" is by far my favorite, and although I'm not in love with the other tracks as much, they are amazing pop songs. Most cuts aren't that strong, but they contribute their worth with personality and creativity to make this 39 minute record worth it.

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Jun 07 2024
4

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: New sensation, Devil inside, Mediate, Need you tonight, The loved one, Mystify, Calling all nations

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Aug 09 2024
4

Oh, thank you for suggesting this one. Australia was done dirty on the official list with very little representation, and INXS was one of those bands I was just waiting for that never showed up. Although I find that the band's best songs are scattered over several albums, Kick is certainly the one that best belongs on the list because it was so hugely successful. It was everywhere in 1987 and many of these songs have deservedly become classic rock staples. These are great songs, catchy and confident and beat forward. The album also skillfully toes the line between straight rock and post punk in a way that made it massively appealing in its time. Michael Hutchence is a compelling front man who balances bravado and smoldering moodiness in a way that's rare this side of Jim Morrison. If you have the benefit of having experienced this album during its MTV heyday, you know of which I speak. Some of that is lost without the visuals, but Hutchence still has a way of reaching through your speakers with a charisma that few front men have. That little whisper at the beginning of "Need You Tonight" still gets me [*blushes*]. For all the heat of Kick's best songs, beyond the singles the album is filled out with bouncy rockers that were more than serviceable in 1987, but maybe aren't particularly notable all these years later. But where the band gets it right, they're pretty fantastic. Even in its least exciting moments, this is incredibly fun and one of the great guitar pop/rock albums of the late 80s. Fave Songs: Never Tear Us Apart, Need You Tonight/Mediate, Mystify, New Sensation, Devil Inside

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Sep 22 2024
4

New wave, pop rock, funk rock, hard rock. Dos megahits. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

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Sep 26 2024
4

INXS's *Kick* isn't just an album; it's an electrifying masterclass in polished pop rock. This is the record where Michael Hutchence finally locks into that rare charisma most frontmen dream of. INXS perfected their formula here: blending sensual swagger, tight funk rhythms, and enough new wave gloss to make the synth-driven hooks sparkle. Hutchence commands the spotlight with a voice that straddles soul and rock, while the bandโ€”slick but never soullessโ€”provides a danceable, propulsive backbone. "Kiss the Dirt" and "Listen Like Thieves" might have hinted at what was coming, but *Kick* is where everything clicked. The sax-laden grooves of "New Sensation," the anthemic highs of "Need You Tonight," and the slow burn of "Never Tear Us Apart" are nearly untouchable in their efficiency at creating atmosphere and emotion. These tracks seep into the bloodstream, drawing on 80s decadence but without the overindulgence that dragged many contemporaries down. The genius of *Kick* is its accessibility. Every song feels like a single, from the infectious "Devil Inside" to the optimistic "Mystify," yet it doesn't feel calculated or overly manufactured. The band manages to flirt with commercial success while still retaining a gritty edgeโ€”something bands of their ilk often sacrificed at the altar of radio-friendly unit shifters. The albumโ€™s glossiness might not win over every rock puristโ€”too poppy, too smooth for someโ€”but the blend of pop instincts and rock 'n' roll swagger was a winning combination. It's the quintessential soundtrack to the late 80s, a moment when INXS became more than just another bandโ€”they became *the* band.

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Oct 09 2024
4

Again, surprised this wasn't on the list. Nostalgia out the yang!

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Nov 21 2024
4

A clear and obvious omission from the book, not a masterpiece but a great album up there with the best of 80โ€™s rock, it just has so many stand out hits on it.

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Dec 09 2024
4

Very nice! An '80s staple that I'm honestly surprised wasn't on the list to begin with. "Need You Tonight" and "Never Tear Us Apart" are both big time classics, to have two of those on one album is no small feat. Some other great cuts as well, great album. Favorite tracks: Never Tear Us Apart, Need You Tonight, New Sensation, Mystify. Album art: Couple hoodlum-looking guys at various distances from the camera. Plus someone ollieing over the title on a skateboard? It's definitely iconic, seen this one hundreds of times. Very bold, very memorable. 4/5

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Dec 09 2024
4

I could have sworn we got this on the list but we didnโ€™t so this was is another great addition. All the classics are on here, Devil Inside, Need You Tonight, and Never Tear Us Apart. I also really enjoyed New Sensation.

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Dec 20 2024
4

Here's my problem with this album, it's definitely my problem and not a problem of the album, per se: it's not that the other songs are bad--though they are kind of mediocre--but nothing can compare to the brilliant run of tracks A2 through A5. This is due to the vagaries of exposure, since I was a kid in the 80s and was raised on MTV (and thus these hits).

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Dec 27 2024
4

So 80s you can almost hear the filofaxes being riffled and the Porsches being revved, but still a whole heap of fun too. Nice to see another aussie album being nominated; the original list probably underrepresented their music scene.

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Dec 31 2024
4

I was surprised by how many 80s hits were on this given that Iโ€™ve never heard of inxs. Like Iโ€™ve heard the big hits and like them but never knew the artist really. Also the album cover looks like a 90s hip hop r&b thing.

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Jan 07 2025
4

The 80s wanted to drop a little taste of rock for you

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Jan 29 2025
4

One of the genuine surprises of the original list was the absence of INXS. I'm looking forward to listening to it. So yeah, it's a good album. Not a great album, but a good album with some great songs on it. It starts and ends wrapped around Need You Tonight, the obvious stand-out, with a couple of highlights. So slide over here. And give me a moment.

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Feb 24 2025
4

I think there is some potential here that I would like this album. โ€œNeed you tonightโ€ and โ€œnew sensationโ€ I was already familiar with and consider them enjoyable hit songs. I love the big 80โ€™s sounds displayed in this album.

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May 04 2025
4

Hit laden album of Ausdie rock funk that prob should have been in the original list. I'm not a fan of the classic 80s production (Hello Hi-hats) but you can't deny the quality of this massive album.

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Jun 11 2025
4

Wait... Kick wasnโ€™t on the original 1001 list? Thatโ€™s wild. INXS were absolutely everywhere at the time. This album shows them at their peak, blending Aussie pub rock with late-'80s new wave in a way that still holds up today. Most of the spotlight tends to fall on Hutchence, and sure, heโ€™s a great frontman. But Andrew Farriss is the one who really holds this album together. As the main songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, he shapes the soundโ€”from slick synthpop to rock guitar swaggerโ€”and gives the album its drive and style. Not every song hits quite as hard, but the overall quality is high. The best tracks are undeniable, the grooves are tight, and even the weaker moments are still fun. Solid 4 stars from me.

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Feb 17 2024
3

This is all fine but I really, really struggle to conceptualize the person whose #1 album OF ALL TIME this is. It's like an album of theme songs to early1990s TV shows on MTV or something. I don't want to be mean. It's enjoyable for what it is! But this is a user submitted album which means someone was like "here's my shot to submit my #1 album of all time! Let me submit Kick by INXS", and I want to meet that person and ask them 15-20 questions.

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Feb 17 2024
3

Nothing wrong here just never pulled me in

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Feb 18 2024
3

A name I've heard of, but never listened to and I can sort of see why. Oh I've definitely heard "Need You Tonight". Completely not my thing. I'm sure it's a fun show and they are all having fun, but I find it completely vapid. All the things I don't like about 80s pop/rock. However from how many people love this album and the accolades it has I can see an argument on why it should have been on the list.

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Jul 07 2024
3

Iโ€™ve never really listened to INXS so I didnโ€™t know what to expect. This was a good blend of pop, rock, with a touch of funk. Itโ€™s very of its time, but was a fun listen.

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Jul 10 2024
3

Glam rock done right โ€“ย each song comes in with a groovy, chorus-drenched main riff, says its piece, and leaves without taxing the listener. Definitely gets a nostalgia bump since I jammed out to this one with my Dad on longer drives, but it still holds up as a solid listen today.

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Jul 10 2024
3

This is my first time listening to this album (outside of the singles, which I've heard thousands of times throughout my life). That being said, Beck had a project called Record Club in which he would assemble a group of musicians and friends and they would take one day to learn and cover an album from front to back. Record Club recorded five albums. Of those five albums, their version of Kick is an absolute masterpiece that I've listened to dozens of times. I can't say I'm super impressed with the original versions of these songs that much. The singles never did anything for me in the four decades I've heard them. I do have to acknowledge that since I love Beck's deconstructions of these songs, that there have to be the bones of some great pop songs here. I don't much care for the production, arrangements, or vocals, but considering what Beck was able to do with them, they should probably be respected.

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Jul 29 2024
3

Pretty solid 80s album by one of the biggest bands at the time. The user list is basically just everyoneโ€™s favorite albums from the times they grew up listening to a lot of music. This 80s pop album was probably immense when it came out. I donโ€™t hear much of it now but overall itโ€™s pretty good nothing really bad about it but not sure how much Iโ€™d revisit it. 6.5/10

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Aug 22 2024
3

New Sensation and Need You Tonight are good songs. , Never Tear Us Apart is fantastic. The rest of the album is not so great though.

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Oct 09 2024
3

This album was all around me back in the day, and of course I was familiar with the hits. While I like INXS, something always held me back a little and I think thatโ€™s still true today. But I can see why someone might put this on here.

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Oct 16 2024
3

Very 80s. Flits between sensual and occasionally recklessly happy (especially the vibe on closer "Tiny Daggers"). Nothing incredible lyrically though nothing terrible, except maybe "Calling All Nations". The early attempt at white-boy-rapping is fun but more of a time capsule ("Mediate"). Not my thing, unfortunately, though I didn't outright hate it when it was on. Favorite tracks: "Devil Inside", "Need You Tonight"

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Nov 04 2024
3

This probably should've been included in the book as it has so many hits. I personally think it's just an okay album but I understand why others would like it more.

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Nov 25 2024
3

So many of these songs start hard, like these songs rule... But then run two minutes too long. Can't be too mad, it's got three classics on there.

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Dec 05 2024
3

1987. Prince's Sign o' the Times; George Michael's Faith; The Cure"s Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me; the Smiths Strangeways Here We Come. Amid this musical feast INXS were just plain white bread, and yet they seemed so pleased with themselves. Omitting them from the original list was clearly a deliberate snub, and one that I can relate to. But then again, the original list included the appalling Hysteria by Def Leppard, also from 1987, and even I'd have to say INXS have suffered an injustice

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Jan 17 2025
3

Solid stuff. Underestimated this for sure.

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Feb 06 2025
3

Surprised INXS isn't in the book. Saying that, I didn't care for it. I've never connected with their music and it just sounds like meh 80s music to me. Maybe you had to be there to enjoy it and I wasn't alive so a huge shrug of the shoulders for me. My personal rating: 3/5 My rating relative to the list: 3/5 Should this have been included on the original list? Yes.

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Mar 14 2025
3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFyCPicGbXM Honestly for coming out late 80s, this sounded relatively fresh

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Jul 08 2025
3

Yeah, this should probably be on the list, I remember it being massive when I was a kid in late 80โ€™s. Need You Tonight and New Sensation were everywhere. On the other hand, is that enough to warrant inclusion on the list? When compared to other entries on the official list, itโ€™s more than enough, especially considering some of the odd choices that were made (the Triffids record, for instance). But also, then, why not include Huey Lewis and the Newsโ€™ โ€œSPORTSโ€ which was wildly successful and contained a ton of hitsโ€ฆ? From my personal perspective, Iโ€™m not sure โ€œKickโ€ is the most groundbreaking or influential record, and it feels very much tied to its era. All the songs are good, though, and thereโ€™s a definite variety of styles/sounds here, so Iโ€™m going to give it some points for that. I can see the arguments for including it on the list and also get why it might not have been included. Iโ€™m gonna split the difference with a 3.

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Feb 25 2024
2

This is also a band that a lot of people walk away with. Though I like the voice I think the music makes it too pop for me. Now that I listened to the entire album, I still think it is not for me.

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Oct 11 2024
2

80s rock. It hasn't aged well. Not much in the way of memorable hooks or melodies, and the guitar tone sounds really thin. Rating: 2 Playlist track: Need You Tonight Date listened: 10/10/24

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Feb 09 2025
2

80s new wave albums try to be anything more than "Two pretty good singles and ten more of the most boring songs you've ever heard in your life" challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)

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Apr 07 2025
2

Somewhat funky but felt kind of hollow honestly

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May 20 2025
2

This album did not benefit from the previous two albums I had listened to which were newer and different. So a stalwart of the 80s felt old and tired. Sorry INXS.

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May 26 2025
2

Every time I think this list has thrown up the worst 80s sounds it comes along with another, today that's INXS and Kick, which is full of terribly dated musical influences and I don't have the reverence for it that anyone with nostalgia based memories do. I Need You Tonight is decent and gets it to a 2/5 but otherwise this is bad.

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