Listen Like Thieves (1985)

By album five, INXS weren’t just experimenting anymore—they were executing. Listen Like Thieves is their most consistent work to date: more rock-forward, still rhythm-driven, and loaded with confidence. You can hear it in the riffs, the grooves, and Hutchence’s vocals. This is the sound of a band that knows exactly what they’re doing.

What You Need opens with swagger—catchy guitars, a punchy rhythm section, and vocals that glide like silk. It’s an instant classic and a perfect tone-setter. But the magic isn’t limited to the singles. Listen Like Thieves anchors the record with a deep-pocket bassline and cool restraint. Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain) blends funk, pop, and rock in a way only INXS could pull off. And Same Direction might just have one of the most addictive guitar riffs in their entire catalog, if not my entire personal music library.

Even the so-called dips—Biting Bullets and This Time—still land. They’re solid tracks with great style, even if they don’t demand repeat listens. There’s no dead weight here. Everything belongs.

As a whole, Listen Like Thieves marks a major creative stride. The band’s chemistry is locked in, the writing is sharper, and the rock energy feels effortless. It’s polished but never overproduced. Groovy but never gimmicky. Easily their strongest album up to this point—and the real tee-up for what’s coming next.

—————————————————

Highlight Songs:

• What You Need

• Three Sisters

• Same Direction

• One X One

• Listen Like Thieves

—————————————————

Own it, Stream it, Forget about it?

No question it’s worth owning. For some, this might be a No Skip Album, and it’s absolutely worth a front-to-back listen to see if it makes your list. It just barely misses mine, but it’s still a record I’ll keep coming back to.

—————————————————

Overall Rating:

4 Stars