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INXS: Hear That Sound // 1990
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INXS

In the mist
Of my endless search
The best in life
Becomes clear

INXS is pop art par excellence. You simply hear it: this Australian band has an original and distinctive sound. Popular rock beat but far from simplistic. Add some Jim Morrison and improvisation into U2 and you are close to INXS. The lyrics of INXS songs are such I can really go with. Love, feelings, life, all the basics in elegant and smart liners. Yes, INXS is the most popular quote source in my diary.

Here comes the world
With the look in its eye
Future uncertain but certainly slight
Look at the faces
Listen to the bells
It's hard to believe we need a place called hell

The creative contributions are mainly by singer Michael Hutchence, the rock icon and lyricist, and guitarist Tim Farriss being responsible for most of the sounds. Before Hutchence committed suicide in 1997 (and drew my attention to the band) the six founding members had been tightly together for over twenty years growing from a local act into MTV regulars. They made everything one group could ever do. A beautiful complete career.

"What is interesting to me is not so much the time we spent together but, in a more cerebral way, how you start. Isn't it strange that 20 years ago we stumbled into a garage and it works?"
- Michael Hutchence

My personal favourite of INXS albums is X from 1990. No fillers, just catchy sound and timeless lyrics. Both the opening and closing lyrics of this page as well as the header of my whole webpage are taken from tracks in that album. Understand the hope and irony within these:

And my selfish ways
Disappeared one day
With the realization
Of a new way

(C) 2001-2002 Mikko Välimäki // PGP