INXS Listen Like Thieves

Australian ensemble INXS's Listen Like Thieves is an album of pure bravado. Confident and brash,lead singer Michael Hutchence grabs these songs like he's already playing to an arena full of adoring fans. On their breakout hit “What You Need,” he sings with the swagger of Mick Jagger. While the band still embraces their new-wave influences, the synths and '80s guitar sounds work perfectly here. “Shine Like It Does” moves with the boundless joy of a child skipping down a sidewalk. “Good + Bad Times” combines new-wave percussion pops with rock guitar grinds and a sinewy saxophone solo to somewhat ominous effect. And "Biting Bullets" bristles with all the Steve McQueen cool of the pub band they'd once been. This was the first major breakthrough for INXS, and it still spits energy and verve.