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X

 

  • Artist: INXS
  • Rating: StarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: 1990 09
  • Total Time: 41:30
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

The seventh album from Australia's INXS basically sticks to the formula set up on Kick, mixing solid remixable dancefloor beats with slightly quirky production tricks, Michael Hutchence's rough-edged, bluesy vocals, and some good solid song hooks. The most immediate numbers are, of course, the two singles, "Suicide Blonde" and "Disappear," but other tracks stand out as potential hit material as well, including the anthemic "The Stairs." The biggest problems with the album are a tendency to play it safe, sticking to the tried and true -- echoing a line in the thumping "Who Pays the Price," when Hutchence sings "it's all been felt before" -- and the fact that there's very little in the way of subtlety on the entire album. All of the songs are designed for immediate radio contact -- they don't really give you a chance to grow into them, they just grab you by the throat and start shaking. "Know the Difference," as an example, threatens to be sneaky but immediately switches to an obvious assault instead. In the finish, the overwhelming lack of subtlety and sense of sameness overcomes the album as a whole. It's not that's it's a bad album. It's just nowhere near as good as it could -- and should -- have been. ~ Steven McDonald, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Suicide Blonde (Lyrics) Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence INXS (3:52)
Disappear (Lyrics) Jon Farriss, Michael Hutchence INXS (4:09)
The Stairs Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence INXS (4:56)
Faith in Each Other (Lyrics) Jon Farriss, Michael Hutchence INXS (4:08)
By My Side (Lyrics) Andrew Farriss, Kirk Pengilly INXS (3:06)
Lately (Lyrics) Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence INXS (3:36)
Who Pays the Price (Lyrics) Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence INXS (3:37)
Know the Difference (Lyrics) Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence INXS (3:17)
Bitter Tears (Lyrics) Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence INXS (3:49)
On My Way (Lyrics) Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence INXS (2:55)
Hear That Sound (Lyrics) Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence INXS (4:05)

Credits

Charlie Musselwhite (Harmonica), INXS (Main Performer), Gary Beers (Bass), Andrew Farriss (Guitar), Andrew Farriss (Keyboards), Jon Farriss (Drums), Jon Farriss (Keyboards), Tim Farriss (Guitar), Michael Hutchence (Vocals), David Nicholas (Engineer), Kirk Pengilly (Guitar), Kirk Pengilly (Saxophone), Kirk Pengilly (Vocals), Chris Thomas (Producer)
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Wikipedia: X (INXS album)
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X
Studio album by INXS
Released September 25, 1990
Recorded 1990
Genre Rock, Pop rock
Length 44:50
Label Atlantic Records US
Mercury Records EU
WEA Records AU
Producer Chris Thomas
Professional reviews
INXS chronology
Kick
(1987)
X
(1990)
Welcome to Wherever You Are
(1992)

X is Australian rock band INXS's seventh studio album, released in 1990. The title, the Roman numeral for "10", represents the band's tenth year since their debut album was released in 1980. The album contains such hit singles as "Suicide Blonde", "Disappear", and "Bitter Tears". It was the third consecutive INXS album produced by Chris Thomas following Listen Like Thieves and Kick.

The album features a sample of legendary blues-harp player Charlie Musselwhite on "Suicide Blonde", and Musselwhite himself playing on "Who Pays the Price".

In 2002, a remastered version of the album was released that included five previously unreleased tracks.

Contents

Track listing

All tracks by Andrew Farriss & Michael Hutchence except were noted

  1. "Suicide Blonde" – 3:52
  2. "Disappear" (J. Farris, M. Hutchence) – 4:10
  3. "The Stairs" – 4:56
  4. "Faith in Each Other" – 4:09
  5. "By My Side" (A. Farriss, M. Hutchence & Chris Thomas) – 3:06
  6. "Lately" – 3:37
  7. "Who Pays the Price" – 3:37
  8. "Know the Difference" – 3:17
  9. "Bitter Tears" – 3:49
  10. "On My Way" – 2:55
  11. "Hear That Sound" – 4:10

Bonus tracks on 2002 remaster

  • "Waiting to Be Free"
  • "Deepest Red"
  • "Salvation Jane" (Demo)
  • "Who Pays the Price" (Demo)
  • "Dark of Night" (Demo)

Singles

  1. "Suicide Blonde"/"Everybody Wants You Tonight" (August 1990)
  2. "Disappear"/"Middle Beast" (November 1990)
  3. "Bitter Tears"/"The Other Side" (February 1991)
  4. "By My Side"/"Soothe Me" (March 1991)
  5. "The Stairs(live)"/The Stairs(lp version) (June 1991)

Personnel

  • Gary Beers – Bass
  • Andrew Farriss – Guitar, Keyboards
  • Jon Farriss – Drums, Keyboards
  • Tim Farriss – Guitar
  • Michael Hutchence – Vocals
  • Charlie Musselwhite – Harmonica
  • David Nicholas – Engineer
  • Kirk Pengilly – Guitar, Saxophone, Vocals
  • Chris Thomas – Producer

Chart positions

Year Chart Position
1990 Australian ARIA Albums Chart 1
1990 Billboard 200 Albums Chart (USA) 5
Preceded by
Chain Reaction by John Farnham
Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
August 15, 1990 - August 21, 1990
Succeeded by
In Concert by The Three Tenors

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Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "X (INXS album)" Read more