INXS - Greatest Hits [1994]

In the wake of Michael Hutchence’s tragic death, INXS’s Greatest Hits seems sadly ironic in that it is, in part, a fitting eulogy and biography. No doubt about it, Hutchence gave the band its charisma, its sensuality, and also its funk appeal. So what if he couldn’t dance? His phrasing and sense of timing were more than half of the rhythm behind “Need You Tonight,” “What You Need,” and “New Sensation.” He even gave Mick Jagger a run for his money with “Devil Inside” and “Suicide Blonde.” As a band, INXS were a finely honed machine, even from the beginning new-wave horns of “The One Thing” to the more orchestral “Never Tear Us Apart.” The collection also contains two unreleased tracks, but, interestingly enough, the transcending and powerful “Don’t Change” is nowhere to be found.