The only album I listened to by them was Kick and I listened to it about like 5 times and I really like it. I have to listen to their other ones.
It's nice to hear that. One of the benefits of threads such as these it hearing familiar (or unfamiliar) things through different ears. I think it's sorely underrated and very much the victim of its timing. Confident material which sounds nothing like a band scrambling to keep an audience. I was unsurprised to hear Opitz on that podcast say that it wasn't his tracklisting, conforming what many of us here think - that better running orders (especially Opitz's) would highlight a strong set of songs and make an album that was obviously recording in a similar creative peak as WTWYA (they are sisters of a sort). I like Viking Juice's place as an album closer. I wouldn't choose that song to stream digitally on its own merits, but often an album will have a closer that sums up, or offers a postscript, or a lighter shade, or a sign-off. Given the story of them getting drunk and reading poetry, it speaks to me of encapsulating the spirit of the recording process rather than being a song song.
Tomorrow morning I will be posting a reference list with links to the songs... If you are browsing now or in the next few hours, go back to last Saturday's date, and there will be a similar post. It's just an easy way to go through all the songs/albums
That's why I love these threads. I get to have an up close and personal with albums that have been listened to a lot, but never properly. Revisit old favourites with a deeper ear, and other people's opinions to flesh things out... and with a band like Inxs, who I essentially started wandering away around The Swing era, hear some brand new stuff that slipped by me at the time. In this format with a decent number of people participating it is really helpful for me to learn stuff I just didn't know. I've never really been one to pay much attention to bands or personalities, I just listen to the albums and enjoy them... so having folks that pay attention to those sorts of things, I get a broader perspective, and it often enhances the albums. I do actually, generally read all the posts, because that's what I'm here for.
-- For peer bands - 9th album: Some experimental/some bland, these are generally not held as their best. I know Duran and Depeche have fans for their 9th albums though. U2 had Pop Duran had Medazzland Depeche had Ultra The Cure had Wish REM had Monster.
Viking Juice just might possibly be the strangest song INXS have ever written. I don't understand the lyrics or why Michael decided to recite these words instead of singing them. I don't understand why the arrangements are the way they are. And in a way, it seems like it's a filler track but not entirely. The contrasting elements are the appeal - whether it's the clear / distorted tone funk guitar riffs, or the slide guitar effect with Andrew's warped keyboard sounds / stabs that hover over parts of the arrangement. The best way to describe the style of VJ is grinding funk rock. The butcher mix instantly hybrids the track into a funk rock / hip hop arrangement. In fact, the original could have benefited from this. Full Moon, Dirty Hearts is not a perfect album. There are sequencing / track listing issues. The bi-polar stylistic content, in some cases, just barely fits the atmosphere of the album. Though, contrarily, that also works to its advantage. And INXS deserve many points for creating probably the greatest "grab bag" or variety-styled album of their career. But overall, I still believe it's INXS' 2nd best album and is also THE most under-rated offering in their catalogue. Despite what many think, I don't believe it's a "grunge" album or that INXS were trying too hard to conform to what was going on at the time. Though, admittedly, without half the band, mainly Hutchence, pushing for a more hard rock direction, which comprises about half of the album, it probably wouldn't have been as heavy. However, in many instances, Listen Like Thieves (1985) is even heavier. And unlike some others here, I don't have a problem with the album cover. In fact, the only truly "alternative" looking band members on it, are Tim...and maybe Kirk. And maybe the reason why FM, DH is one of INXS' lowest selling albums, is because it strays TOO far from what most fans are used to listening to, since only hard-core fans seem to dig it?! Whatever the reason, it's a very good album and should be revisited / reassessed by casual fans. Here are my song ratings for FM, DH... Full Moon, Dirty Hearts ~ 4.67/5 Days Of Rust ~ 4.5/5 The Gift ~ 5/5 Make Your Peace ~ 4.5/5 Time ~ 5/5 I'm Only Looking ~ 5/5 Please (You Got That...) ~ 5/5 Full Moon, Dirty Hearts ~ 5/5 Freedom Deep ~ 4.5/5 Kill The Pain ~ 4.5/5 Cut Your Roses Down ~ 4.5/5 The Messenger ~ 4.5/5 Viking Juice ~ 4/5
Viking Juice: ...and so we come to the end of the album with this odd duck of a song; What an odd duck it is. As a song, it's interesting, experimental in nature, but as others mentioned, it's not a song I want to revisit. However, in the context of the album, it works, especially as an album closer. What is interesting to me is that it has a Pop era U2 vibe. With that, it's an okay song and won't skip it as long as I am listening to it in the confines of the album. Full Moon, Dirty Hearts (Revisited): It was great to discuss this album and for me, it was a forgotten gem in the catalog. I do agree that the track listing should of been worked out logically to provide a better flow. With that aside, it's a worthy album to introduce to the curious. It's legacy with me is secure as I will put it back into rotation, including adding some deep tracks on to my INXS playlist.
Here's a very cool MTV Asia/Australia doc of the Jan. / Feb. '94 Australian/South East Asian legs of the Dirty Honeymoon tour...
INXS – The Great Video Experience Label: Polygram Video – 632 390-3 Format: VHS, PAL Country: Europe Released: Nov 1994 Genre:Rock Style: Pop Rock 1 Need You Tonight 2 Mystify - X-Documentary Includes: 3 Suicide Blonde 12'' 4 The Stairs 7'' 5 Bitter Tears 12'' 6 Disappear 12'' - 7 New Sensation 8 Taste It 9 Heaven Sent 10 Baby Don't Cry 11 Beautiful Girl 12 Not Enough Time 13 The Gift 14 Please (You Got That...) 15 Time 16 The Strangest Party (These Are The Times) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I have never even heard of this one before, so please let us know about this one. Videos and album making documentaries? I couldn't find the video on youtube. Please fill in the blanks on this one please guys.
The Greatest Hits Greatest hits album by INXS Released 31 October 1994 Genre Rock, alternative rock Label Atlantic US Mercury Records EU East West Records Producer Various The Greatest Hits is a greatest hits compilation released by Australian rock band INXS in 1994. The compilation was a chart success in Australia, peaking at number 2 and in the UK, where it reached number 3. It only managed to reach number 112 on the US Billboard 200; however, it was eventually certified Platinum. The album included two new songs: "The Strangest Party (These Are the Times)", and "Deliver Me". The Greatest Hits was originally released with different tracks in the UK, US, Australia, Brazil, and Mexico, and also as a limited edition release with All Juiced Up in the UK and Australia. Japan's release carried the US track listing, and all other nations received the UK track listing. The album was subsequently re-released in 1996 in Australia and in 1997 in Japan with the UK track listing. UK track listing Mercury (Catalogue # 526 230-2) – available in the UK since 1994, Australia since 1996 and Japan since 1997. "Mystify" "Suicide Blonde" "Taste It" "The Strangest Party (These Are the Times)" "Need You Tonight" "Original Sin" "Heaven Sent" "Disappear" "Never Tear Us Apart" "The Gift" "Devil Inside" "Beautiful Girl" "Deliver Me" "New Sensation" "What You Need" "Listen Like Thieves" "Bitter Tears" "Baby Don't Cry" US track listing Atlantic (Catalogue # 7-82622-2) – available in the US and Canada since 1994 and in Japan between 1994 and 1997. "The One Thing" "Original Sin" "What You Need" "Listen Like Thieves" "Shine Like It Does" "Need You Tonight" "Devil Inside" "New Sensation" "Never Tear Us Apart" "Suicide Blonde" "Disappear" "The Stairs" "Heaven Sent" "Beautiful Girl" "The Strangest Party (These Are the Times)" "Deliver Me" Australian track listing WEA (Catalogue # 45099-8388-2) – available in Australia between 1994 and 1996. "Just Keep Walking" "The Loved One" "Don't Change" "Original Sin" "I Send a Message" "Burn For You" "What You Need" "This Time" "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)" "Listen Like Thieves" "Need You Tonight" "Mediate" "Devil Inside" "New Sensation" "Never Tear Us Apart" "Suicide Blonde" "Disappear" "Heaven Sent" "The Gift" "The Strangest Party (These Are the Times)" Brazilian track listing "Original Sin" "What You Need" "Need You Tonight" "Devil Inside" "New Sensation" "Never Tear Us Apart" "Suicide Blonde" "Disappear" "By My Side" "Beautiful Girl" "Heaven Sent" "Please (You Got That...)" "The Strangest Party (These Are the Times)" "Deliver Me" All Juiced Up A special edition of this compilation includes a bonus CD with remixes. "Taste It" (Youth Accapella Mix) "Cut Your Roses Down" (Sure Is Pure Mix) "Suicide Blonde" (Milk Mix) "Please (You Got That ...)" (E-Smoove Club Need Mix) "Disappear" (Red Zone Mix) "I'm Only Looking" (Morales Bad Yard Mix) "Cut Your Roses Down" (Sure Dub Mix) "What You Need" (Cold Cut Mix) "Devil Inside" (12" Mix) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are so many different reasons for a Greatest Hits release. Sometime it just seems like it is time for a compilation. Sometimes it is because a band has broken up and it seems like the best way to make a document of the songs that made them who they are in the world. Sometimes it is because a band has trailed off in popularity and a Greatest Hits seems like the way to remind the public of what a great bunch of tracks they had made over the years, and hopefully re-spark the interest. Sometimes it is just a case of wanting or hoping to get some money. I assume in this instance it was a hope of sparking a reminder of what a great batch of songs the band has made over the years, and trying to get the fans back on board, after a seeming drop off in interest.... but that is just speculation on my part. It is interesting that there are so many various tracklists to choose from. The UK version is ordered in a very interesting way. We get some Kick biggies off the bat then a couple of new songs, and then we get tracks kind of mixed into the more famous (for the UK) tracks. It seems well thought out in that aspect. The US version is more like a concise collection with really the songs that had hit over there in chronological order and the two new tracks listed at the end. The Aus version has more tracks and includes a couple of oldies, but only has the one new song. And the Brazilian version is an even more concise collection, with just 14 tracks , but it does have the two new songs. I really looks like this was a targeted attempt to reinvigorate the fan base, that from all reports during the thread has seemed to inexplicably fall away somewhat. Obviously we see there was a special version with a bonus disc of 12" mixes, that I believe we have looked at. I very rarely get compilation albums. I'm not against them, but generally a band I like I will get the albums, but even when we get the bonus tracks, I rarely ever bought compilations, so no, I never had this one. Anyway. Please run through your thoughts about this Greatest Hits set, and we'll look at the two new songs at the beginning of the week, next week. Cheers Mark
This release was kind of a part two to the 1990 video release (Greatest Video Hits (1980–1990) Perhaps the band knew they were going to take time off after 1994 and this release was to tidy up loose ends. I had both of these releases (when released - until in 1999 when someone decided to relieve me of them when they broke into my house). I don't think there was anything included in this release that didn't end up on their 2004 DVD I'm only looking. the Best Of .... The 1990 (Greatest Video Hits (1980–1990) video relese had the track listing - Just Keep Walking The Loved One Stay Young The One Thing Spy Of Love Don't Change Original Sin I Send A Message Burn For You Melting In The Sun (Love Is) What I Say Dancing On The Jetty All The Voices What You Need This Time Kiss The Dirt Listen Like Thieves Need You Tonight Mediate Devil Inside New Sensation Guns In The Sky Never Tear Us Apart Suicide Blonde
Reference guide 1980 -1992 1992 Documentary 1993 Get Out Of The House EP Nov 1993 Full Moon Dirty Hearts Days Of Rust The Gift - video - ext. - bonus beat Make Your Peace Time - video - live I'm Only Looking - remix - video Please... - edit - club - dub - downtown - instr. - Letterman Full Moon, Dirty Hearts Freedom Deep - video -extended - live Kill The Pain - video Cut Your Roses Down - Sure Is Pure mix The Messenger Viking Juice - Butcher Mix Born To Be Wild alt tracklisting Promo tour clips MTV Asia interview Oct 1994 The Greatest Hits Nov 1994 The Great Video Experience
https://www.audiotechnology.com/PDF/33/Mixing_INXS_in_5.1.pdf Above is a link to an article in Audio technology magazine from 2004 on the release of the I'm only looking DVD covering the remixing of the audio.
For the record, I had some Viking Juice last night (that's Limoncello, for those that missed it and think I have started some strange ritualistic pastime)
Full Moon, Dirty Hearts - album recap Sometimes an album gets a bad rap because it just doesn’t deliver the goods. Maybe a spark of inspiration is gone, or a band member left and the songwriting dynamics are altered, or perhaps success led to excess and things just crumbled. But this album is a really fine album. If I can forgive a couple of the songs on side two of Listen Like Thieves, or a couple duds on X, then it surely isn’t a sign of huge decline if FM, DH has a couple less-than-stellar tracks. INXS from Shabooh Shoobah up through FM, DH released one classic album after another - I definitely count this among them. It’s the gap AFTER this album that shows they started struggling creatively and needed time to regroup. I really look at FM, DH as the “sister album” to WTWYA. Conceived and recorded with very little space in-between due to not touring they are really two windows into the same period of creative inspiration. There’s some odd things going on here, to be sure, however. The apocalypse of The Gift, the detachment of I’m Only Looking, the sad finality of Kill The Pain, the bizarro experiment that is Viking Juice - none of these have an analogue elsewhere in the INXS canon, at least not outside of Bside material. Despite Hutchence’s head injury and mental state during this timeframe I still perceive them here as a tight knit band pulling together and making some great recordings. The relative sales flop of WTWYA evidently shook them and started them on the path of self-doubt, starting a spiral from which they ultimately didn’t recover. Some creative decisions do seem to have stemmed from that. For the record, I think the album cover here is fine. I think the impromptu band shot on FM, DH says “we’re back to business” after the misfire of the too clever artwork decisions WTWYA’s album covers and singles, but I digress... This is a very good album. Not perfect, but part of their “classic run”. Still pondering that tracklisting though...
Good post mate. I reckon I agree with all that from my perspective. I don't dislike the track order, but I do think it could be tightened up a little. I think of it as being more, move 1, maybe two songs.... but thing is that would end up needing a bunch of moving around I fear...
You’re right about that. I’ve already tried the video tracklist, which is decent. And then @David Jakubowski posted his idea of putting Kill The Pain at the end of “side one”. Then I’ve got two of my own I’ve tried out. I’ll try to at least post my own attempt here soon, before we get to the next “proper album”, Elegantly Wasted.
Since we're now slowly moving away from this era, I forgot to generally review the FM, DH video album. So I'd like to say that the track listing obviously presents quite a different approach to the album as a whole. And each video cleverly enhances the emotional aspects of the songs in nearly picture perfect ways on a visual basis. I find it interesting that each music video was directed by young Australian filmmakers and not Richard Lowenstein (INXS' main video director) - though, he was apparently involved in parts of the production. This makes each video even more impressive, especially considering how amazing most of them are. Notice how MH's Days Of Rust character also appears in the bar scene of the I'm Only Looking video? Or how in the MYP video, all the couple had to do to escape death was jump out of the vehicle once they became untied but didn't, even though there was plenty of time to do so? Or how the 2nd video for PYGT with Ray Charles, isn't even included on the video album, despite it being the better quality video? I find these elements fascinating. Warts and all. The Greatest Hits, in all its configurations, represents a good chunk of the best single releases INXS had written up until this point, though it definitely doesn't include all of them. And despite not needing most of the songs, I remember buying it the week of release in November 1994, to get the two new tracks. All Juiced Up contains a handful of some very good remixes, which I'm sure we'll review shortly. I also bought The Great Video Experience when it came out on VHS. And apart from it mainly being a music video compilation (albeit, certainly not a complete comp from this era), there's some really good footage from the X and Dirty Honeymoon tours as well. And like Robert Bone stated, it's essentially the equivalent of a 2nd part to The Greatest Video Hits 1980-1990.
A 1993 concert at HFStival was recently uploaded to YouTube. Unfortunately the audio is very poor but it's great to see. The opening three songs are Communication, Days of Rust and the Gift.
Thank you. After watching this last night, I was just going to post this today! And despite the sound / visual quality issues, it's an amazing performance, isn't it?! And partly because of how under-booked the DC/Baltimore market was on the Kick/Calling All Nations & X tours, this was their largest EVER headlining show in the US. And just uploaded by the same poster earlier today, here's the COMPLETE 04/08/94 San Jose Arena show from the Dirty Honeymoon tour!!!... INXS San Jose 1994 - YouTube
The Strangest Party (These Are The Times) This track comes in with a slightly lower tuned snare with a nice ringing tone and a bit of reverb on it, and a low pulsating bass, after some sort of ambient sound of a small group of people talking. I think this is the first time I have heard this track. Welcome to the strangest party, baby It's like we're staring at the sun Everybody's got their invitations Hopin' that you're gonna come, yeah These are the times (times) These are the crimes (crimes) What are we waiting for What are we hating for You're part of the solution or part of the problem You're gonna have to dance with one You're giving up on the future, honey I'll count you out of having some, yeah! So These are the times (times) These are the crimes (crimes) What are we waiting for What are we hating for Here comes the rain Yeah! Here comes the rain now ... These are the times These are the crimes What are we waiting for What are we hating for These are the times (times) These are the crimes (crimes) What are we waiting for (waiting for) What are we hating for Wash away the rain Into the blue sea, yeah These are the times (times) These are the crimes (crimes) What are we waiting for (waiting for) What are we hating for Wash away the rain Into the blue sea, yeah! These are the times These are the times... Songwriters: Michael Hutchence / Andrew Farriss The Strangest Party lyrics © Chardonnay Investments Ltd., Xl Publishing Pty. Ltd., Chardonnay Investments Ltd Interesting lyrics, almost a picture of the great supper post rapture ... We have a fairly sparse instrumentation at the start here with just the occasional jangle of the guitar coming in over the excellent drum and bass groove. As the chorus hits we have a swell of keys and a nice grind of some guitar. After the second chorus we get a bridge that changes the melodic flow just enough. As we come out of the bridge there is a nice breathing space and then a nice little lead guitar. Some extra bits of percussion also give the feel a nice boost. This is a pretty good song. It's hard to have more than that really, as that's the first time I have heard it, but I like it.
Deliver Me This has a pretty cool intro too. We have a solid groove that opens up, and a sort of funky vibe about it, but we also have some nice little techno kind of sounds that help drive the groove along too. The take down Is a mystery All I want to know is why Your eyes Taking over The apple in my eye I'm in A crowded room Can't hear a single word they say They're just talking faces I don't believe I know your name I smell you On my finger tips I hear you Whispering I feel you All over me I'm never gonna be the same Whatcha Trying to do to me Please tell me the rules of the game You see me Shaking right through No surprise I'm looking this way Deliver me From your spell Gimme gimme more of the same Deliver me From your spell Gimme more gimme more Gimme more of the same Deliver me Whatcha Trying to do to me Please tell me the rules of the game 'Cause I'm just Out of my skin But the thoughts and the questions remain Gimme more gimme more Gimme more of the same Gimme More of the same Songwriters: Andrew Charles Farriss / Michael Hutchence / Michael Kelland Hutchence Deliver Me lyrics © Chardonnay Investments Ltd., Inxs Publishing Pty. Ltd. This track is good, but probably less striking than the Strangest Party. I think it works well, and it has its eye towards being a solid dance track. Still a pretty solid track though.
