Switch (INXS album)

Infobox Album
Name = Switch
Type = Album
Artist = INXS


Released = 29 November 2005
Recorded = 2005
Genre = Rock
Length = 44:04
Label = Epic
Producer = Guy Chambers
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:ryr9keftgq7x link]
* BBC Rating|3|5 [http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/music/2004/10/inxs.shtml link]
* "The Boston Phoenix" Rating|1.5|5 [http://thephoenix.com/Boston/Music/487-INXS-SWITCH/ link]
* "Entertainment Weekly" C- [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1138911,00.html link]
* PopMatters rating-10|5 [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/i/inxs-switch.shtml link]
* "The Sydney Morning Herald" (negative) [http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/inxs-switch/2005/11/24/1132703305721.html link]
* "Toronto Sun" Rating|3.5|5 [http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/I/INXS/AlbumReviews/2005/11/25/1323689-sun.html link]
Last album = "Elegantly Wasted" (1997)
This album = "Switch" (2005)
Next album =Singles
Name = Switch
Type = studio
single 1 = Pretty Vegas
single 1 date = 29 November 2005
single 2 = Afterglow
single 2 date = 25 April 2006
single 3 = Devil's Party
single 3 date = 2006
single 4 = Perfect Strangers
single 4 date = 2006
single 5 = God's Top Ten
single 5 date = 2007

"Switch" is the 11th studio album by the Australian rock band INXS. It was released on November 29 2005. It is notable for being the first album recorded with new lead singer J.D. Fortune since the November 1997 death of Michael Hutchence.

Background

INXS co-founder and original lead singer, Michael Hutchence, died on 22 November 1997, reportedly of suicide.cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/416509.stm |title=Paula challenges Hutchence verdict |publisher=BBC|date=10 August 1999|accessdate=2008-06-16] The band went through numerous lead singers following Hutchence's death, and performed irregularly, including a showing at the 2000 Summer Olympics closing ceremony alongside Men at Work. [cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1124032/20000913/inxs.jhtml |title=INXS, Men At Work To Close Sydney Olympics|publisher=VH1|author=Martin Jones|date=13 September 2000|accessdate=2008-06-16] INXS were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2001, as they faded out of the public spotlight. [Cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/hall-of-fame.htm |title=ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame|publisher=Australian Record Industry Association|accessdate=2008-06-16]

In 2005, the remaining members of INXS—Andrew Farriss, Garry Gary Beers, Tim Farriss, Kirk Pengilly, and Jon Farriss—joined forces with Mark Burnett to be the subjects of the first series of "Rock Star"; "". Tim Farriss told "Entertainment Weekly" "after Michael died, we wanted to search the world for a new singer but didn't know how we could effectively do that ... By having Mark... embrace the concept, we've now found a fantastic way to make that happen." [cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,652436,00.html |title=New Sensation|publisher="Entertainment Weekly"|author=Gary Susman|accessdate=2008-06-16] J. D. Fortune, a one-time homeless former Elvis impersonator, ultimately won the competition, with Tim Farriss declaring the band chose him because of his "slightly dangerous edge" and "star quality". [cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001177625 |title=J.D. Fortune Named New INXS Singer|publisher="Billboard"|author=Barry A. Jeckell|date=21 September 2005|accessdate=2008-06-16]

History

The first single released from "Switch" was "Pretty Vegas", written by J.D. Fortune and Andrew Farriss. It was released exclusively through iTunes Music Store on October 4, 2005 for two weeks, where it ranked as high as #4 on the top downloaded songs list. Three singles were released from the album in America ("Pretty Vegas", "Afterglow" and "Devil's Party"), with Pretty Vegas reaching #37 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In an interview with guitarist and saxophone player, Kirk Pengilly, the last song in the track listing for "Switch", "God's Top Ten" is dedicated to Michael Hutchence and his daughter, Tiger. It paints Michael as a "wild colonial boy, drifting with the stars". "God's Top Ten" was only released as a single in Poland to promote the album.

The song "Afterglow" is also dedicated to Michael.

Through different US digital service providers, the album has bonus tracks. iTunes USA will exclusively carry a non-album cut entitled 'Let's Ride' as well as a digital booklet; MSN will feature a different bonus track entitled 'Amateur Night'; Real Rhapsody will carry the familiar 'Easy Easy' and Yahoo! Music will host a new mix of 'Devil's Party'. After each DSP's period of exclusivity, the whole package will be made available across all providers.

Upon its release INXS were praised for recapturing their old magic, but some critics commented Fortune may have relied too much on Hutchence's signature style of singing rather than adopting his own. [see review below]

2006 Re-issues

On April 14 2006, a "DualDisc" version of the album was released in Australia. The CD audio side of the disc features the album in full. The DVD side contains all 11 songs in enhanced stereo, "The Making of Switch" and the "Pretty Vegas" music video. Then on August 4 2006, a "Tour Edition" was also released in Australia with different cover art and a bonus disc featuring "Pretty Vegas", "Hot Girls", "Hungry" and "Devil's Party" all recorded live in Canada, plus music videos for "Pretty Vegas", "Afterglow" and "Perfect Strangers". "The Making of Switch" video documentary (30 min) was also added.

October 16 2006, saw the release of a "UK Edition" with different cover art and featured extra tracks: "Taste It (Live)", "Never Let You Go (Digital Dog Remix)", and "Afterglow (Redanka's Afterdark Remix)"; plus the "Afterglow" music video. It was reissued by indie label MX3 (distributed by Universal, like the back catalogue).

The album has sold 391,000 copies in the U.S. since release. [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/ask_bb/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003691757 Ask Billboard ] ] The album received platinum certification in Dec. 2005 by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) [ [http://www.cria.ca/gold/1205_g.php Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA): Gold & Platinum - May 2004 ] ] The single "Pretty Vegas" received gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America(RIAA) on Jan. 26, 2006 [ [http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH RIAA ] ]

Album and single releases

"Switch" was released on 29 November 2005. [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Switch-INXS/dp/B000BR346E |title=Switch: INXS|publisher=Amazon.com |accessdate=2008-06-25] It peaked at number 18 on the ARIA Singles Chart, and spent an up-and-down 30 weeks in the top 50. [cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=INXS&titel=Switch&cat=a |title=INXS - Switch|publisher=australian-charts.com |accessdate=2008-06-25] It also peaked at number nine on the RIANZ Singles Chart, on which it spent 34 weeks. [cite web|url=http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=INXS&titel=Switch&cat=a |title=INXS - Switch|publisher=charts.org.nz |accessdate=2008-06-25] "Switch" peaked at number 17 on the "Billboard" 200, and appeared on the Canadian Hot 100 and Top Internet Albums charts at numbers two and 56, respectively. [cite web|url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wifwxqudldte~T3 |title=Switch > Charts and Awards|publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=2008-06-25] As of 8 January 2008, 391,000 copies of the album had been sold. [cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/ask_bb/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003691757 |title=Ask Billboard - Happy Anniversary|publisher="Billboard"|author=Keith Caulfield|date=8 January 2008|accessdate=2008-06-25] "Switch" was certified platinum in Australia (ARIA) and Canada (CRIA). [cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/ARIACharts-Accreditations-2006Albums.htm |title=ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2006 Albums|publisher=ARIA|accessdate=2008-06-25] [cite web|url=http://www.cria.ca/gold/1205_g.php |title=Gold & Platinum Certification|publisher=CRIA|accessdate=2008-06-25]

Reception

Allmusic's Matt Collar rated "Switch" three stars out of five. He began the review negatively, with the claim "For all intents and purposes, the death of Australian rock band INXS' lead singer, Michael Hutchence, in 1997 ended the band's career." He argued that without Hutchence, there was little point in the band continuing, and criticised their use of "Rockstar: INXS", arguing "all the band was looking for was a relatively good-looking, relatively tuneful young man who could evince some cocksure rock smarminess". Describing Hutchence as the best part of the old INXS, Collar argued that "Switch" could never equal its predecessors, but nonetheless noted some quality work—Fortune's lyrics on "Devil's Party" and "Afterglow" were approved of, though his vocals, Collar argued, could nowhere near match the original. Fortune's role as a "Sex God" was criticised, especially on "the icky and somewhat offensive "Hot Girls"." Collar concluded that the band had acknowledged they would never equal their success with Hutchence, and that "one's interest in Switch largely depends on the listener's ability to come to that same conclusion." [cite web|url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wifwxqudldte~T1 |title=Switch > Review|publisher=Allmusic |author=Matt Collar|accessdate=2008-06-14]

BBC's Jez Burr also rated the album three out of five. Burr noted "Devil's Party", stating that the resemblance between Fortune's vocals and Hutchence was uncanny. It thus described INXS as a Hutchence tribute band, and the album as "caught in a timewarp that is 1989". [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/music/2004/10/inxs.shtml |title=Tonight, Matthew, I'm going to be Michael Hutchence|publisher=BBC|author=Jez Burr|date=October 2006|accessdate=2008-06-14]

"The Boston Phoenix" rated "Switch" one and a half stars. Reviewer Mikael Wood described the album as "contrived", much like the TV show it came as a result of. Wood attacked the album's lyrics and musical style, claiming it contained "clumsy pre-fab grooves about hot girls and perfect strangers and how it ain’t pretty when the pretty leaves you. No joke, guys." [cite web|url=http://thephoenix.com/Boston/Music/487-INXS-SWITCH/ |title=CD Reviews > INXS > Switch|publisher="The Boston Phoenix"|author=Mikael Wood|date=14 January 2006|accessdate=2008-06-14]

"Entertainment Weekly" gave the album a C-. Reviewer David Browne said that INXS occasionally resembled their old selves—"churning out riffy half-songs just as they always did". This, he said, was preferable to the "strip-joint sleaze" that composed the rest of the album, which he summarised as secondhand. [cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1138911,00.html |title=Switch (2005)|publisher="Entertainment Weekly"|author=David Browne|date=9 December 2005|accessdate=2008-06-14]

Mike Schiller of PopMatters agreed and gave "Switch" a score of five out of ten. Schiller again criticised the workings of "Rockstar: INXS", noting aspects of favouritism, of the loss of Hutchence being too great, and of the "questionable popularity of INXS". He argued that "Switch" did not resemble an INXS album; rather, he said it sounded like "Rock Star INXS: The Album"—"rushed, undercooked, and a bit uncomfortable". Schiller, like Collar, praised "Devil's Party", as well as "Pretty Vegas"—he pointed out that Fortune sounded best on the songs he helped write. Meanwhile, the collaborative songwriting was criticised, with Schiller arguing that Guy Chambers "just doesn't quite know how to fit his songwriting style into the INXS template". He also pointed out that "Rockstar INXS" runner-up Suzie McNeil's performance on closing track "God's Top Ten" showed " a strong performance here that outshines Fortune's". Overall, he argued, "Switch" did not seem like an album by a well versed band, but a solo artist hiring some extra musicians. [cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/i/inxs-switch.shtml |title=INXS: Switch|publisher=PopMatters |author=Mike Schiller|date=4 January 2006|accessdate=2008-06-14]

"The Sydney Morning Herald"'s Bernard Zuel reviewed the album negatively, stating that the album more resembled the work of a cover band than Hutchence-era INXS. He argued that the majority of songs on the album were near replicas of earlier INXS songs, stating "you can hear 1985's "Listen Like Thieves" all through several songs". Zuel pointed out that Farriss' songwriting was still good, but that overall the album was "pretty much what you would have expected to hear from INXS in 1998, or 1988 for that matter." [cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/inxs-switch/2005/11/24/1132703305721.html |title=INXS: Switch|publisher="The Sydney Morning Herald"|author=Bernard Zuel|date=26 November 2005|accessdate=2008-06-14]

Jane Stevenson of "Toronto Sun" said "Switch" "raises as many questions as it answers" about INXS's future, in a three-and-a-half out of five stars review. She echoed Zuel's comments that the album sounded like INXS "stuck in the '80s". Despite this, the review noted that the album could have been a good deal worse—Farriss' collaborations with Chambers and Child were praised, described as slick and well-polished. [cite web|url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/I/INXS/AlbumReviews/2005/11/25/1323689-sun.html |title=Never tear us apart|publisher=canoe.ca|work=Toronto Sun|author=Jane Steveson|accessdate=2008-06-14]

Track listing

# "Devil's Party" (Andrew Farriss, J.D. Fortune)
# "Pretty Vegas" Music (A. Farriss) Lyrics (Fortune, Marty Casey, Jordis Unga)
# "Afterglow" (A. Farriss, Desmond Child)
# "Hot Girls" (A. Farriss, Guy Chambers, The Matrix)
# "Perfect Strangers" (Garry Gary Beers, Tony Bruno, The Matrix, Shelly Peiken)
# "Remember Who's Your Man" (A. Farriss, Gregg Alexander, Annie Roboff)
# "Hungry" (A. Farriss)
# "Never Let You Go" (Jon Farriss, Fortune)
# "Like It or Not" (Kirk Pengilly, Hughie Murray)
# "Us" (A. Farriss, Chambers)
# "God's Top Ten" (A. Farriss)

ingles

* "Pretty Vegas"
* "Afterglow"
* "Devil's Party"
* "Perfect Strangers" Australian release
* "God's Top Ten" Polish promo single

References

External links

* [http://www.inxs.com/index.php?section=news&id=516 INXS Official announcement of "Switch"]
* [http://www.contactmusic.com/new/home.nsf/webpages/inxsx17x01x06 Review of "Switch]