INXS “What You Need”

sfilzen — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 11:26:54 +0000

INXS “What You Need” released 35 years ago today, August 26th 1985. The lead single from their fall ‘85 release Listen Like Thieves is still a fantastic dance track all these years later. It was their big breakthrough to the US market, hitting #5 on the US charts; it went to #2 in Australia and #51 in the UK. This 12″ single has “What You Need (remix)” which adds in extra saxophone (🙄oh 80′s I miss you!), bigger drums and some vocal effects that were also super popular in the 80′s – similar to what Robert Palmer used on his hits around that same year. The b-side has a couple of my favorite songs from their ‘84 album The Swing (my overall favorite INXS LP): “Melting in the Sun (12″ Version),” which has more synths-new wave dance effects than the original track, and the anthemic new wave “Burn For You (12″ Version).” The single version of “Burn For You” was a single release in Australia and went to #3 there in ‘84.

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INXS “Listen Like Thieves”

sfilzen — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 15:04:24 +0000

INXS “Listen Like Thieves” released 30 years ago on this date, October 14th, 1985. File this one under feeling kinda old and yet still knowing the words to every single song on the album as I listen to it 30 years later. INXS’s 5th studio album and the first to really capitulate them into the international spotlight, Listen Like Thieves reached #11 on the US charts, propelled by the #5 song “What You Need,” which I get a little giddy feeling from the second the needle hits the record with that drum roll and the vaguely off-key guitar strum into an uplifting and relentless beat that never lets up. Michael Hutchence’s amazingly good looks in the video didn’t hurt much, either.

Side One of Listen Like Thieves is chock-full of single-worthy tracks, including of course “What You Need,” the title track “Listen Like Thieves” but also the excellent “Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain” which I feels brings a lot of continuity from their previous album, The Swing. “Shine Like It Does” is a lovely mid-tempo love song with a memorable staccatoed guitar hook and “Good + Bad Times” brings tension and grit with big 80′s flavor, including a soaring saxophone solo.

Side Two is almost as strong as Side One: “This Time” is definitely the standout track, reaching a U2 level of broad open spaces anthem style. “Three Sisters,” an instrumental, brings to mind the keyboard experimentation common for the mid-80′s (VERY reminiscent of Duran Duran’s “Tiger Tiger” on Seven and the Ragged Tiger), also showcasing saxophone. “One x One” is a jaunty stroll down the boulevard of 80′s pop styling and “Red Red Sun” completes the album with a frantic rush of rock-n-roll.

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INXS “What You Need”

INXS “Listen Like Thieves”