Elegantly Wasted

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This article is about the album. For the title track from this album, see Elegantly Wasted (song).
Elegantly Wasted
INXS Elegantly Wasted.jpg
Studio album by INXS
Released 4 April 1997
Recorded December 1996 – February 1997 at Armoury Studio, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Genre Alternative rock
Length 51:53
Label Mercury
Producer Bruce Fairbairn & Andrew Farriss
INXS chronology
Full Moon, Dirty Hearts
(1993)Full Moon, Dirty Hearts1993		 Elegantly Wasted
(1997)		 Switch
(2005)Switch2005
Singles from Elegantly Wasted
  1. "Elegantly Wasted"
    Released: March 1997
  2. "Everything"
    Released: May 1997
  3. "Don't Lose Your Head"
    Released: September 1997
  4. "Searching"
    Released: September 1997

Elegantly Wasted is the tenth studio album by Australian rock band INXS. It was released in April 1997, and is the final album recorded with lead singer Michael Hutchence, who was found dead in a Sydney hotel room in November that same year.

The band had spent April 1996 rehearsing in London, and moved over to Vancouver, BC, Canada to record with producer Bruce Fairbairn in December that year.[1] Michael and Andrew Farriss also travelled to Dublin to put the finishing touches on the albums demos. Production of the album was completed by Michael and Andrew in Spain by February 1997.[2]

All three Farriss brothers dedicated the album to their mother, Jill, who died in 1995. Two songs that did not make the final cut of the album were included on the Bang the Drum EP (2004).

Background

After a three-year break, INXS reconvened in 1996 to record their tenth studio album Elegantly Wasted, their last with Hutchence. They worked at the Armoury Studio in Vancouver with both Bruce Fairbairn and Andrew Farriss producing.[3] Additional musicians were brought in to provide backing vocals on “Don't Lose Your Head”, “Searching” and “I’m Just A Man”. The album’s title was thought up by Hutchence with the single itself trying to recapture the magic and groove of the "Kick" album, particularly the single, "Need You Tonight".

The band embarked on their 20th anniversary tour in support for Elegantly Wasted beginning in the U.S. in April 1997, with the second leg of the tour starting in South Africa, the bands first and only tour of the country. While touring in Cape Town, the band shot the music video for the albums third single, "Don’t Lose Your Head". The tour continued in Europe with the band touring the U.S. again, returning in mid July and continuing right through to late September. Their last concert with Hutchence was at the Star Lake Amphitheatre in Burgettstown, PA on September 27, 1997. The band returned to Sydney, Australia in November 1997 to prepare for their homecoming tour.[4]

Packaging

A mini video shoot featuring the band, was specially shot and directed for the album's cinematic album art. The entire video shoot was directed by art director Mat Cook and photographed by Danish photographer Pierre Winther in locations around California in 1996, most notably Fourth & Lorena St. Bridge (as seen on the front cover) in 2271 Jesse Street, downtown Los Angeles, as well as the Edwards Air Force Base in the Californian desert.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 2/5 stars[5]
Q 2/5 stars[6]
Rolling Stone 2/5 stars[7][8]
Entertainment Weekly 4/5 stars
Ultimate Guitar 9.5/10 stars

Reviews for the album were mixed. Both Q and AllMusic rated the album two stars, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine writing in his AllMusic review, "The band does dabble in contemporary dance on Elegantly Wasted, but it all comes out sounding like the lite funk-n-roll of Kick, only without the energy. And without the tunes."[5]

The album did not perform well as anticipated. In the U.S. it only reached number 41 on the Billboard Top 200. It did sell better outside the U.S. entering at number 14 in both Canada and Australia and number 16 in the United Kingdom. Elegantly Wasted was certified Gold in Canada on May 9th 1997 having sold 50,000 copies.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence. 

No. Title Length
1. "Show Me (Cherry Baby)"   4:17
2. "Elegantly Wasted"   4:32
3. "Everything"   3:13
4. "Don't Lose Your Head"   4:02
5. "Searching"   4:04
6. "I'm Just a Man"   4:48
7. "Girl on Fire"   3:55
8. "We Are Thrown Together"   5:36
9. "Shake the Tree"   4:10
10. "She Is Rising"   5:24
11. "Building Bridges"   3:55
12. "Shine"   3:52
Total length:
 51:53

Variations

  • "Shine" does not appear on the US/Canadian edition and is not to be confused with "Shine Like It Does".
  • The Japanese regular edition and Australian limited edition release of the album features the bonus track "Let It Ride".

Singles

  • "Elegantly Wasted"/"Need You Tonight" (March 1997)
  • "Everything"/"Let It Ride" (May 1997)
  • "Don't Lose Your Head"/"I'm Just a Man" (live) (September 1997)
  • "Searching" (September 1997)
  • 3 track Shagsonic Dub promo, A1 "Elegantly Wasted (Shagsonic Dub)", B1 "Elegantly Wasted (Shagsonic Remix)", B2 "Elegantly Wasted (Shagsonic Bonus Beats)" (1997)

Personnel

Additional personnel

  • Bruce Fairbairn – Producer
  • Andrew Farriss - Producer
  • Richard Guy – Engineer
  • Mike Plotnikoff – Engineer
  • Tom Lord-Alge – Mixing engineer

References

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  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ INXS: Story to Story (the official autobiography), page 252
  4. ↑ INXS: Story to Story (the official autobiography), page 255
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  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ INXS- Elegantly Wasted @Discogs.com Retrieved 12-21-2013.
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