Michael Hutchence

I’m never quite sure about posthumous releases. On one hand, they are often eagerly anticipated by fans of the deceased and can be worthy additions to an artist’s repertoire, like Jeff Buckley’s (Sketches For) My Sweetheart The Drunk. However, they can also be corporate cash cows for a record company eager to make the most out of a star’s legacy – the biennial release of another Jimi Hendrix compilation, for example. Thankfully, the first solo album from the former INXS frontman fits into the former category.

It’s easy to read a lot into the lyrics on most such releases and find large dollops of poignancy and even the odd prophecy of doom. Michael Hutchence is no exception, particularly with tracks like ‘Don’t Save Me From Myself’. But this is first and foremost a rock album, and it’s a pretty decent example of the genre, although the production throughout is overly clean, with too much polish and not enough spit.

From the old-fashioned stomper that is ‘Let Me Show You’ to the emotive balladry of ‘Flesh And Blood’, this is music for the post-Robbie generation, complete with cynical soundbites, such as “Wave goodbye to your innocence/Sell it to the highest bidder” from the funky, brassed-up Stones shuffle of ‘A Straight Line’.

It’s not all smiles and irony, though, with ‘Baby It’s Alright’, ‘Put The Pieces Back Together’ and ‘She Flirts For England’ ranking as some of the most ordinary material he’s worked on in some time.

However, there is ample evidence that Hutchence’s vision was broadening considerably. He adopts a Portis-head of sorts for the sensuous strings and bass of ‘Possibilities’, while the eerie hypnotism of ‘All I’m Saying’, makes it a standout. Current single and album closer ‘Slide Away’ sees Hutch trading verses with Bono, whose trademark falsetto complements the antipodean’s slinky vocals nicely.

While there is nothing revolutionary here, Michael Hutchence is a highly listenable album that more than stands up to repeated plays. It should prove popular even with non-INXS fans.