X (1990)
INXS' album ‘X’ was released following the massive success of their previous album ‘Kick’. While ‘X’ features some great songs and showcases the band's seemingly everlasting musical prowess, it does not quite reach the same level of dynamic energy as ‘Kick’.
The record does have some standout tracks, such as "Suicide Blonde," "Know The Difference," and "Bitter Tears," which are definitely worth revisiting. The band also experiments with different sounds and styles on tracks like "The Stairs," adding some variety to the album. ‘X’ even brought one of my favorite INXS songs of all time in “Faith In Each Other”, which is rich and almost ethereal in a sense. This song ticks ALL of my boxes and I cannot get enough of it.
‘X’ is filled with high energy, driving beats and great grooves. The record adds some new sonic textures to this mix with the likes of harmonicas and that trademark saxophone and horns accompaniment INXS has started to become synonymous with.
However, it's clear that INXS played it safe on this record, sticking to a more formulaic approach to songwriting and production. While this results in a solid album overall, it lacks the innovation and risk-taking that made ‘Kick’ such a groundbreaking release. There is more than plenty of things to love on ‘X,’ but it's hard to view it as anything other than a subtle step down from the band's previous high water mark.
I personally find “Disappear” a bit underwhelming and the experimental “Hear That Sound” with its disjointed structure and odd production textures, don’t do a whole lot for me. That being said, if you were to take this album for what it is rather than comparing it to ‘Kick’, then you objectively have an incredible album. The criticism I have for this record doesn’t bring it below the strong albums that came prior to ‘Kick’, and at this moment, ‘X’ is the second best INXS album. ‘X’ is worth many many listens.
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Highlight Songs:
Faith In Each Other
Suicide Blonde
Know The Difference
Bitter Tears
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Own it, Stream it, Forget about it?
10/10 worth owning. Any fan of 80s music, INXS, or great records in general, should own this album. You will look cool and everyone will know you’re cool if you have it on your shelf. So be a cool person and go buy it.
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Overall Rating:
4.5 Stars
