INXS – Greatest Hits

In hindsight, it’s eerie listening to this collection of INXS’s more radio-ready tunes, and it’s hard not to reflect – at least a little bit – upon the doomed falling star that was Michael Hutchence, the group’s lead singer. I’m not going to say that this guy is a fallen genius, but the world most assuredly lost an incredibly dynamic and charismatic performer when Hutchence’s personal demons overtook him.

But that’s all in retrospect, and this compilation predates those tragic events at any rate. If it’s an INXS song, and you’ve ever heard it on the radio, chances are it’s on this collection. The INXS Greatest Hits disc leans heavily in the direction of the group’s 1986 mega-hit Kick, from which damn near every song seemed to be a single at some point. The later X and earlier Listen Like Thieves, both worth listening to in and of themselves, aren’t represented quite as much. Basically, the Greatest Hits consist of roughly half of Kick with bonus tracks from other albums.

Personal favorites here include “Never Tear Us Apart”, “Suicide Blonde” (a song which seemed to roll off the assembly line bearing every sonic trademark of the band packed into four minutes), and, yes, “Need You Tonight”.

1. The One Thing (3:24)
2. Original Sin (3:46)
3. What You Need (3:36)
4. Listen Like Thieves (3:47)
5. Shine Like It Does (3:06)
6. Need You Tonight (3:01)
7. Devil Inside (5:11)
8. New Sensation (3:42)
9. Never Tear Us Apart (3:02)
10. Suicide Blonde (3:51)
11. Disappear (4:08)
12. The Stairs (4:55)
13. Heaven Sent (3:21)
14. Beautiful Girl (3:29)
15. The Strangest Party (These Are The Times) (3:55)
16. Deliver Me (3:50)

Released by: Atlantic
Release date: 1994
Total running time: 60:06