OK everyone…let me explain myself. The long delay was due to me being a lazy Indie Bastard. It had nothing to do with me not having the time. I have just been a lazy bitch. I am just as God made me.
But anyway, the following album is one that I have been indulging myself in constantly over the past few weeks. It is an album that I stole from a friend’s father back in the day even though I had no idea what it was (I used to be a terrible person and pretty much still am). I guess I digged it at the time (I was eleven…) but the CD format was just despicable to me so I limited myself to only a few dabbles (Might I add that around the age of ten was when I discovered my parent’s vinyl collection? A true Bastard was born). It was not until I got my hands on a vinyl recording, however, when the genius of the album took my brain and fucked it sideways. Some may call this a deeper cut than my previous album of the week Daydream Nation and some may not. Some may also find this selection shocking. Some culturally illiterate morons may have never heard of it. So, to all my fellow established (but still anti-establishment) Bastards, progressing Bastards, and aspiring Bastards indulging in general Bastardity and seeking indie education, here is your Indie Album of the Week:
INXS–Kick
The 80s glory of this album cover is matched only by every album that Huey Lewis and The News ever released. Luckily for INXS, they don't suck ass like Huey and co. Also, it is important to note that the half-face shot has been an indie staple for facebook profile pictures among the Bastard community for five years running.
This album is an especially interesting album in the Indie Album Hall-of-Fame and it is perhaps the only one of its kind. Now you may be thinking ‘Bev, why is this album so special? Please enlighten me because, being a true Bastard, you are better than I am.’ Well, my fellow aspiring and progressing Bastards, the answer to your question is quite haunting. The fact that the album is such a prominent album in the Indie Bastard community simply makes no sense. Why is this? Brace yourself and hold onto your wool snow beanies that you wear in July…
The album was a monumental commercial success on a global scale. The album topped the charts in Australia and New Zealand, peaked at number three in the US, number 9 in Germany, and number 11 in the UK, not to mention that the album spawned four top-ten singles in the US alone AND raped the MTV VMAs. If the selection of this album has now disgusted you, then I ask you to fuck off. After-all, would you ever call Kid A an album not worthy of the Indie Album Hall-of-Fame? Hell no. Hopefully I don’t shatter your faith in the world by telling you this, but Kid A did top the charts (in the US, UK, Canada, France, Ireland, and New Zealand).
Anyway, if you are still reading, I will explain to you why this album has been selected for this week (or month, or two months if I remain a lazy bitch). In short, the album is brilliant. In my mind it rivals Thriller, Purple Rain, and Sign O’ The Times as the best pop album of the 1980s. Also, being a lover of great guitar albums, I may surprise everyone by saying that this is an essential guitar album. While there are no real extended solos or anything particularly virtuosic on Kick, the simple but brilliant guitar riffs that highlight “Devil Inside”, “New Sensation”, and “Need You Tonight” are impossible to not consider legendary. Everybody knows the riff to “Need You Tonight”, even if they have no idea who INXS even is. The riff itself is the real hook of the song.
The lyrics to the album are phenomenal as well. You won’t find many songs with better lyrics dealing with greed, lust, and the sad state of the world than you will in “Devil Inside”, one of the highlights of the album and my personal favorite. Here’s a sample lyric, the first stanza being the first verse and the second stanza being the closing verse. Keep in mind that this was a huge pop album on a global scale…no dance-able pop album should have lyrics this good:
“Here comes the woman / With the look in her eye / Raised on leather / With flesh on her mind / Words as weapons sharper than knives / Makes you wonder how the other half die”
“Here come the world / With the look in its eye / Future uncertain but certainly slight / Look at the faces / Look at the bells / It’s hard to believe we need a place called Hell”
Realer than fuck while also being fun as fuck. Also, the members of the band are Australian…tell me that’s not badass.
Now you are thinking ‘Bev, you have made this album sound immortal but I still don’t understand why it’s essential for indie education and the progression of my Bastardity. The overwhelming success of it makes it seem the opposite of pretentious and Indie.’ Well, my friends, I sincerely hope the next three facts ease your mind and allow you to embrace the poppy but brilliant greatness that is Kick. First, the way they dressed could be considered in today’s Indie world as pioneering. Secondly, the members of Girls (a band destined for Indie Album of the Week recognition) cite it as one of their top five favorite albums of all-time. Thirdly, in 2010, the album was covered in its entirety by Beck. Fucking Beck. One of the kings of the Indie world.
I’ll get back to you Bastards soon. If you have a problem with the album or have other insights that I missed, comment and let me know. While I will most likely pretentiously disregard your comment even if it is valid, at least you will give me something to bitch about (which all Indie Bastards crave).
Listen to this album because it is good.
IndieBastard 