INXS - INXS (1980)

Korzenie INXS sięgają roku 1977, kiedy to dwie osobne grupy stworzone przez braci Farriss, połączyły siły, aby dać początek nowemu zespołowi. Andrew Farriss (keyboard, guitar) i Michaelem Hutchence (vocals), którzy znali sie ze szkoły średniej oraz Gary Beers (bass) tworzyli jeden zespół, natomiast w tym samym czasie Tim Farriss (guitar) grywał w różnych grupach wraz z przyjacielem Kirkiem Pengilly (guitar, saxophone). Ostatecznie dwa składy spotkały się i do zespołu doszedł trzeci brat Jon Farriss (drummer). Dwa lata później zespół przybiera nazwę INXS i przenosi się z Perth do Sydney, zaczyna się granie w pubach, zespół zostaje zauważony, podpisują kontrakt płytowy i na rynek trafia debiut zatytułowany INXS.

INXS hailed from the pubs of Australia, which is part of the reason they never comfortably fit in with new wave. Even when the band branched out into synth pop on its early recordings, they were underpinned by a hard, Stonesy beat and lead singer Michael Hutchence's Jagger-esque strut. Ultimately, these were the very things that made INXS into international superstars in the late '80s. By that time, the group had harnessed their hard rock, dance, and new wave influences into a sleek, stylish groove that made their 1987 album Kick into a multi-million-selling hit. While that sound was their key to stardom, it also proved to be their undoing; the group became boxed in by their Stonesy pop-funk in the early '90s, when their audience became entranced by harder-edged alternative rock. In spite of declining sales, INXS soldiered on, continuing to tour and record for a dedicated fan base into the late '90s until Hutchence's 1997 death brought the band to a close.
INXS's 1980 debut is a mildly schizophrenic mix of edgy hard pop and quirky new wave. The best tracks are those which combine the two, such as the brilliant debut single "Just Keep Walking," a two-minute slice of snarling attitude and jagged melody. A few tracks fare slightly less well, but as a whole this is both an interesting slice of '80s new wave and a surprising historical find for INXS neophytes.
~~internet



1 On A Bus
2 Doctor
3 Just Keep Walking
4 Learn To Smile
5 Jumping
6 In Vain
7 Roller Skating
8 Body Language
9 Newsreel Babies
10 Wishy Washy