INXS – Kick (Rhino Hi Fidelity) (Rhino/Atlantic)

This album has never sounded better on vinyl

In the fall of 1987, the Australian band INXS issued their monumental album, Kick.  Their record label originally deemed it too “black” for rock radio, and rejected it, which seems incredibly silly today.  The 6x platinum record yielded four top 10 singles, lots of rock radio play and was the career defining album for INXS.

But, by 1987, vinyl was on life support, as the burgeoning CD was taking over the music industry.  I have an original copy of Kick and it really doesn’t sound that great.  The highs are shrill. And, since this is a dance-oriented album, the bass is a big part of things – and mostly it just splatters over the original LP.

Rhino has just issued Kick in their High Fidelity series and it’s a huge jump in quality – quite possibly the biggest improvement of any album in this series.  Right off, “Guns in the Sky” is nothing but midrange on the original.  On the new version, there’s much more fidelity.  

“New Sensation” just jumps out of the speakers on the Hi Fi version – there’s more stereo separation and dynamic range.  You can also hear more echo on Michael Hutchence’s  voice.  That’s followed by another smash, “Devil Inside.”  On my first pressing, the kick drum seems to overpower everything else.  The new version even things out, and that guitar is FULL!

The hits keep on coming with “Need You Tonight,” with more presence on Hutchence’s voice, and the stereo effects seem to breathe more.  The cymbals rolled off on the original – but here, they sound nice and crisp.   That segues right into “Mediate,” and you can really hear the deep bass on this new pressing.

“The Loved One” really sounded shrill on the original LP – it was the last song on the album.  Here, there’s much more dynamic range.

Onto side two, “Never Tear Us Apart” is another huge improvement.  Hutchence’s vocals are rich and full, the kick drum and bass blast you when they come in, and that fantastic sax solo really cuts through.  There’s more separation on the individual instruments on “Mystify.”  

Side two of my original copy of Kick sounds even worse near the end – it’s nothing but noise and no dynamic range.  On this Hi Fidelity version, you really feel the bass on the song, “Kick,” while “Calling All Nations” really sounds fabulous.  Again, “Tiny Daggers” being the final song on the album side, it’s much improved in this new pressing as well.

This edition is pressed on 180-gram vinyl, cut from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Coherent Audio.  The album is housed in a heavyweight gatefold jacket with a new essay from critic David Fricke.

The Rhino High Fidelity edition of Kick is the quintessential version of this classic album, and well worth the money.  Very impressed.  —Tony Peters