Kick – INXS (180g, 30th Anniversary Edition)

INXS's Kick is the 1987 album that turned the band from major Australian rock figures into a worldwide force. Their sixth studio record, it sharpened the group’s mix of rock, pop, funk and dance rhythms into a sleek, radio-ready sound without losing the tension that made INXS stand out. That balance helped send the album to No. 1 in Australia, while also pushing the band deep into the US and UK mainstream.

The record’s run of singles still explains its reach: “Need You Tonight” became INXS’s only US No. 1, while “New Sensation,” “Devil Inside,” “Never Tear Us Apart” and “Mystify” helped keep Kick in heavy rotation for months. The production is a big part of the appeal, giving the rhythm section real snap and space while Michael Hutchence’s vocals move easily between cool restraint and pure charisma. If you know INXS mostly through the hits, this is the album where that chemistry is fully locked in.

Kick is also widely treated as the commercial peak of the band’s career, and with good reason: it became their best-selling album and remains the clearest example of how confidently they could fuse guitar rock with club-minded groove. On vinyl, that tight low end and polished surface still suit the music especially well.

Features

• 180g, Black Vinyl, 30th Anniversary remastered edition
• Gatefold sleeve
• Includes digital download code

Reviews

• The 30th-anniversary edition of Kick affirms its status as a jewel of ’80s pop-rock. - Pitchfork