Shine Like It Does - The Anthology (1979-1997)
Overshadowed by the tabloid exploits and the untimely death of singerMichael Hutchenceas well as some rock-of-the-'80s pigeonholing, the legacy of Australia's INXS gets a well-deserved burnishing on this 42-track double-disc anthology. Like all great musicians, the members of INXS were unafraid to pay tribute to their roots, a sensibility that in their case gave as much due to Chic and '70s disco as it did to traditional blues-rock. Spanning the band's obscure new wave debut single, early album tracks, and a wealth of hits from "The One Thing" to "Bitter Tears," this set underscores those roots and the steadfast personal interplay and musical devotion that characterized the band. Hired-hagiographer David Fricke tells their story (with candid comments from the surviving players) in concise fashion while keyboardist and guitarist Andrew Farriss breaks the songs down in his track-by-track commentary. But it's the music here that does most of the talking, offering up a decade's worth of blood, sweat, and hits, as well as music infused with some previously underexposed creative and personal restlessness, particularly in the closing tracks.--Jerry McCulley