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Track Listings
| 1. Guns In The Sky |
| 2. New Sensation |
| 3. Devil Inside |
| 4. Need You Tonight |
| 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 |
| 13. Move On (Guitar Version) |
| 14. Jesus Was A Man |
| 15. Mystify (Chicago Demo) |
| 16. The Trap (Demo) |
Editorial Reviews
The original 12-song album remastered with 4 bonus tracks, the non-LP single 'Move On' (guitar version) plus previously unreleased tracks 'Jesus Was A Man', 'Mystify' (Chicago Demo) and 'The Trap' (demo). Atlantic/Rhino. 2002.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I have been a huge fan of INXS--and "Kick", in particular--for a long time now. Often, I have felt the need to defend my passion for this album to music purists who are turned-off by the band's huge commercial success.
A decade-and-a-half after it's original release, I believe "Kick" has stood the test of time. The song-writing and performances are entirely spot-on throughout. While I concede that the production sounds somewhat dated, it should be remembered that any album is a product of it's time. With its sly references to excess ("Devil Inside"), global tension ("Guns in the Sky") and apartheid ("Mediate"), "Kick" manages to sum up much of western civilization as it exited the 80's.
Since I already owned this album on CD, I was curious as to how the sonic experts of Rhino could improve upon a recording that was recorded in the digital age. Turns out "Kick" is even more powerful in this new transfer. The mix is more spacious; it sounds like the instruments are actually spaced further apart. If you only want to hear "Kick" sound better than ever before, you should definitely buy this reissue.
But if you were looking for the album's B-sides, you won't find them here. The only bonus tracks are a handful of demos whose inclusion here is baffling. Perhaps the producer wanted these awful tracks included as evidence of miracles he performed behind-the-scenes.
Surely there had to be better demos for this album that what is included here. "Jesus Was a Man" is most motley of the bunch. On it, Hutchence howls in obvious drunken stupor. Given the descent into chemical abuse that led to his untimely death, the inclusion of this track is inappropriate and an insult to his memory.
In conclusion, the new mix sounds fantastic, but the bonus demos are bad enough to make me question their inclusion here.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
INXS took a major shift in their approach to the sound of their best album. Instead of the often smothering layers of sound that were the calling card of most of their prior albums, the band stripped the sound down to its bare bones. "Guns In The Sky" detonates with lead singer Michael Hutchence grunting over the crash of Jon Farris' drumbeat. A power riff worthy of fellow Aussies AC/DC begins cutting in and the band then tears into a plaint on the Star Wars global arm race.
Things just got better from there. "Kick" was INXS's crowning achievement in the studio, showing off a funkier, more confident band. The American breakout hit, "Need You Tonight," was beat driven enough to find a home on the dance floors (along with it's Dylanesque coda, "Mediate"), while the Stonesy howl of "Devil Inside" put some heavy duty spark on 1987/88 rock radio. This was a radio watershed album, with "I Need You Tonight," "New Sensation" "Devil Inside" and the soul-blues of "Never Tear Us Apart" becoming inescapable party songs and great videos before MTV abandoned music. There isn't a wasted song on "Kick." The remastered sound makes it even more punchy than the original CD.
But the re-issue suffers from real drag bonus cuts. The song "Jesus Was A Man" is an out take and SOUNDS it. The demo of "Mystify" is somewhat interesting, but the remaining tracks were unreleased for a reason. Better to just remaster the disc in its perfection than smear it with these leftover chunks of sonic vegetable matter. Michael Hutchence deserves better.
Things just got better from there. "Kick" was INXS's crowning achievement in the studio, showing off a funkier, more confident band. The American breakout hit, "Need You Tonight," was beat driven enough to find a home on the dance floors (along with it's Dylanesque coda, "Mediate"), while the Stonesy howl of "Devil Inside" put some heavy duty spark on 1987/88 rock radio. This was a radio watershed album, with "I Need You Tonight," "New Sensation" "Devil Inside" and the soul-blues of "Never Tear Us Apart" becoming inescapable party songs and great videos before MTV abandoned music. There isn't a wasted song on "Kick." The remastered sound makes it even more punchy than the original CD.
But the re-issue suffers from real drag bonus cuts. The song "Jesus Was A Man" is an out take and SOUNDS it. The demo of "Mystify" is somewhat interesting, but the remaining tracks were unreleased for a reason. Better to just remaster the disc in its perfection than smear it with these leftover chunks of sonic vegetable matter. Michael Hutchence deserves better.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This was one of my very favorite albums of the 1980's, and now that I've got in on a digitally remastered CD, I'm remembering why.
Kick is vigorous power pop, start to finish, an album complete with rhytmic hooks, melodic choruses, and superstar sound and production. With this release, INXS was a band at the pinnacle of fame, playing for sold-out crowds in arenas all over the world. I had the privilege of seeing Michael and the guys when they came to my hometown, and they put on an excellent show. Demonstrating genuine talent, this band was better live than recorded.
INXS wasn't able to sustain the commercial success of Kick (if they had, the band would have been on par with many of the greatest rock bands of all time), but you will still find some stellar tracks on subsequent releases. Michael Hutchence's suicide at age 37 brought a tragic close to the life of a man who always had something interesting to express through his music.
Kick is vigorous power pop, start to finish, an album complete with rhytmic hooks, melodic choruses, and superstar sound and production. With this release, INXS was a band at the pinnacle of fame, playing for sold-out crowds in arenas all over the world. I had the privilege of seeing Michael and the guys when they came to my hometown, and they put on an excellent show. Demonstrating genuine talent, this band was better live than recorded.
INXS wasn't able to sustain the commercial success of Kick (if they had, the band would have been on par with many of the greatest rock bands of all time), but you will still find some stellar tracks on subsequent releases. Michael Hutchence's suicide at age 37 brought a tragic close to the life of a man who always had something interesting to express through his music.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good album from INXS
INXS / Kick: This one has a few big radio hits and the rest of the songs are good. This is a very enjoyable album. The bonus cuts are ok. Four Stars
Published 4 months ago by J. Bynum
INXS hits Mainstream
Before Kick , this band was a kind of cool group gen-x'ers coveted on their backpacks with bands like the Cure, Love & Rockets, & the Smiths. Read more
Published 11 months ago by xx001a45
raw yet poliished
To me, this was INXS at its peak! Songs are raw and have an excitement to them, but are polished enough to where they will appeal to the masses, which is just what they did!! Read more
Published 16 months ago by Robert Watt
So slide over here and give me a moment
Let's quit mourning over the loss of Michael Hutchence, instead let's celebrate his brilliant contribution to rock music. Kick was one of INXS's finest albums. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Marshall Brown
Another Botched Re-Master.
Please Note: This review pertains to the audio quality of the CD and not the music itself. Musically speaking Kick is a 4-5 star release and deserves better attention than this... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Joe Monteiro
INXS at their commercial best
'Kick' is INXS' most commercially successful album, and one of their best. While it doesn't quite match the creativity of their early New Wave classics like 'The Swing', it is... Read more
Published on November 4, 2009 by H. Jin
Over zealous sound mixer
This mix sounds like the echo machine was turned on and forgotten about. I recently got the "Best Of" remix and it's great. Read more
Published on June 17, 2009 by R. SAFRENO
INXS at its peak!
This is a great album from start to finish. This is INXS at its peak. Quality songs and great production that still works today. Read more
Published on February 21, 2009 by Forrest English
the original songs are still good, two new ones are horrible
Be ready to hit the skip button to get past certain songs that were inserted on the CD for some unfathomable reason. The original songs from the 80's are still good.
Published on March 10, 2008 by M. F. Benson
Kick in the pants
Kick came out when i was in my late teens. I loved all the songs played on the radio so much, i decided to purchase the CD. Read more
Published on March 8, 2008 by Ronald L. Mcendarfer Jr.
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SoundUnwound - the personal music encyclopedia
INXS's album Kick was produced by Chris Thomas.
Jon Stevens, Michael Hutchence, J.D. Fortune, Andrew Farriss, Jon Farriss and four other artists have been a member of INXS.
Jon Stevens, Michael Hutchence, J.D. Fortune, Andrew Farriss, Jon Farriss and four other artists have been a member of INXS.
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