Product Description

SHABOOH SHOOBAH and THE SWING may have produced college radio hits like "The One Thing" and "The Original Sin", but it took 1985's LISTEN LIKE THIEVES for INXS to make a true commercial breakthrough in the US. The album leads off with three killer singles, the still-remarkable whiplash dance swagger of "What You Need" and the more anthemic rockers "Listen Like Thieves" and "This Time". On the first of those in particular, singer Michael Hutchence finally perfects the postmodern Mick Jagger vibe he'd been trying to achieve since 1980's INXS, and the band was rewarded with a substantially larger American audience, a commercial gain solidified on the next album, 1987's mega-platinum KICK. LISTEN LIKE THIEVES didn't reach that level of marketplace success because the songwriting quality dips a bit after that impressive opening stretch, but it's nonetheless a fine commercial pop album.

Track Listing

1. What You Need
2. Listen Like Thieves
3. Kiss The Dirt (Falling Down The Mountain)
4. Shine Like It Does
5. Good And Bad Times
6. Biting Bullets
7. This Time
8. Three Sisters
9. Same Direction
10. One X One
11. Red Red Sun

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19867 in Music
• Released on: 1994-03-08
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 37 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
No haircut too lousy, no fashion mistake too obvious: INXS were as much an emblem (symptom?) of the 1980s as Bon Jovi, while never achieving quite the same level of sustained appeal. This album (along with Kick, which followed it) marked their commercial peak, presenting their strongest-ever line-up of songs. Tracks like "What You Need" and "This Time" demonstrated their knack with a groove and a chorus, respectively--and played shamelessly to the sexual stage persona of frontman Michael Hutchence (who had a decent voice, for a man in leather trousers). Intriguingly, both "Shine Like It Does" and "Kiss The Dirt (Falling Down The Mountain)" resonate with a clear sense of their Australian origins: the wide outback, the vastness of the sky; while "Three Sisters"--an "experimental soundscape"--briefly recalls their brief flirtation with post-punk, as Sydney teenagers besotted with the likes of Gang of Four And Pere Ubu. Who would have thought it? --Andrew McGuire

Customer Reviews

one of their finest albums
As a fan of INXS for more than 20 years now, I'd say this is one of the finest albums they have recorded. Brilliant, especially when taken into acount when it was produced - a trailblazer in a way. Excellent quality music and arrangements.

thieves thieves but i love it
inxs sound miles ahead of any of the other bands of the 80's there austalian swagger and beautiful melodies and vocal harmonies are wonderful you've got the bright eyed smiling lead singer called michael hutchence singing beautiful words with a backbone of lavish gold of keyboards guitars and drums and a hint of sax here and there not many bands make songs as good as INXS did!! they made album after album of pure auality and this being an early one is just fantastic
"listen like thieves"

INXS rock
Listen Like Thieves is an outstanding CD. The music ranges from gentle-relaxing to sing-your-guts-out-rock. This CD has aged less than many other CDs of its time, including other INXS CDs. For people new to INXS's back catalogue, this CD represents INXS developing a sound of their own and so this CD is a must buy. I recommend this CD to any rock or pop fan. Listen to it and enjoy!!