mrsquirrel said:

Is Scandalous in the Guinness book of records for being the mostly subtly harmonically dissonant seduction ballad on record? Those string clusters are dark! And the rest a tad psychedelic.

Yeah, thanks to Clare Fischer! lol

[Edited 5/23/12 1:26am]

The Batman album was a big turning point in Prince's career. He sold out and paid his price. His genius was gone and never really came back again.

I love the Batman album,

Here's a rather high score from me, right?

The Future

Great opener 9

Electric Chair

Great guitar on this 9

Arms of Orion

Ok, but not worth a single release, (the b-side I Love U In Me is a 9, much better) 6

Partyman

Excellent funk track, only a bit too short (3 minutes), still strong track 9

Vicky waiting

Should have been a single? Excellent track 9

Trust

No, sounds (maube) naive? I don't feel this and it works terrible in the film.. 5

Lemon crush

No 5

Scandalous

One of the best P ballads ever 9

Batdance

Excellent, rhythms, and the guitar solo... I love this funk jam 9

I think for me Batman is probably my favourite project of Prince's - and also served as my major introduction to him back in high school (was a big comic book fan and still am...).

Some key parts I love:

- The "Vicky Vale" breakdown in Batdance. I'm always sore that the Vicky Vale remix doesn't even use the amazing funk feel that's just in this section alone. Everything about it is so classic Prince, yet still fresh with the use of the audio bites (also my favourite line has got to be - "Let me stick the seven inch in the computer"....thankfully old enough to remember floppy discs!!).

- Electric Chair. Just always been a strong favourite, love the without-a-breath feel of the chorus and the rock feel is spot on. Kind of reminds of Janet Jackson's "Black Cat".

- Vicky Waiting took a while to get into, but now I can't stop listening to it! It has such an unusual feel to it...hard to describe, but I love it all the same.

- Partyman....how could anybody not love this track?! Pop music at it's finest.

Just a great, great album.

Edit: Forgot to mention Partyman's B-side - Feel U Up!!! One of my favourite Prince tracks of ALL time. Personally a very big fan of his Camille vocals and this is a great example of those.

[Edited 5/23/12 2:07am]

I think it is underrated. My favorite track is Vicky Waiting. It's very simple but its quite an unusual track in a lot of ways. I like it more each time I listen to it.

blackat said:

Edit: Forgot to mention Partyman's B-side - Feel U Up!!! One of my favourite Prince tracks of ALL time. Personally a very big fan of his Camille vocals and this is a great example of those.

[Edited 5/23/12 2:07am]

"Feel U Up" is better anything on this mediocre album! I love that Camille-track!

Isn't it funny that people desperately try to find some musical moments to legitimate their excitement? People, this album is musically just not up to par with Prince's great albums! It's ridiculous!

[Edited 5/23/12 3:11am]

funkomatic said:

blackat said:

Edit: Forgot to mention Partyman's B-side - Feel U Up!!! One of my favourite Prince tracks of ALL time. Personally a very big fan of his Camille vocals and this is a great example of those.

[Edited 5/23/12 2:07am]

"Feel U Up" is better anything on this mediocre album! I love that Camille-track!

Isn't it funny that people desperately try to find some musical moments to legitimate their excitement? People, this album is musically just not up to par with Prince's great albums! It's ridiculous!

[Edited 5/23/12 3:11am]

I don't give a stuff if it's not up to "par", I really don't LOL! I enjoy this album and I love listening to it. Sure, it's not a masterpiece - to SOME people. But to me it's a damn good album and one of my favourites. I don't have to justify what makes me happy when I listen to something. It just is....and to me, that's the charm of good music. It's GOOD!

So then, be happy with your exquisite taste in music!

funkomatic said:

So then, be happy with your exquisite taste in music!

Damn straight I have exquisite taste in music.

[img:$uid]http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4d6g0ETqA1qbjwbn.gif[/img:$uid]

jonylawson said:

mrsquirrel said:

Is Scandalous in the Guinness book of records for being the mostly subtly harmonically dissonant seduction ballad on record? Those string clusters are dark! And the rest a tad psychedelic.

Great point!

agree

Graycap23 said:

^It was all movie hype. Nothing else!

[Edited 5/23/12 6:46am]

Whiskas31 said:

Agreed. Batman was my first Prince album, and it made me a fan. I don't care much for Arms of Orion, because it is slightly too sickly sweet for me, but it's still a good track for what it is.

I think there is always a stigma with 'soundtrack' albums. Die hard fans never really accept them as proper albums, which is a shame because Batman is (imho) a very strong album.

Prince fans seem to dislike 'Batdance', which for me is a brilliantly dark experimental track (I guess the backing singers singing 'baaatmaaaan' throughout, does make it slightly cheesy, but it is a Batman soundtrack). No other artist could have put out such a brilliant experimental track as a lead off single.. Especially one that changes tempo part way through, into a brilliantly funky mid tempo 'kiss' style funk.

You've also got the amazing Electric Chair, the funky Partyman, Vikki Waiting.. and one of Prince's best ballads: Scandalous... all of it.. it's so good... especially considering it was recorded in 6 weeks.

I agree. Always thought Batdance was a great, experimental song. Liked the video, too. I have never been able to abide Arms of Orion for the same reason you cite-- pure treacle. Lots of strong tracks: Vicky Waiting, Electric Chair, The Future, Scandalous, and Partyman. Not so crazy about Lemon Crush.

There was strong work following the Batman album, but this is when more and more weak filler started to creep in. Therefore, I can see why many feel this was when the decline began. These days, you're just happy if one good (I've given up on great) song makes it to an album.

funkomatic said:

blackat said:

Edit: Forgot to mention Partyman's B-side - Feel U Up!!! One of my favourite Prince tracks of ALL time. Personally a very big fan of his Camille vocals and this is a great example of those.

[Edited 5/23/12 2:07am]

"Feel U Up" is better anything on this mediocre album! I love that Camille-track!

Isn't it funny that people desperately try to find some musical moments to legitimate their excitement? People, this album is musically just not up to par with Prince's great albums! It's ridiculous!

[Edited 5/23/12 3:11am]

I don't have to justify my excitement for an album. It seems with comments like 'It was all movie hype. Nothing else!', you are trying too hard to justify why you don't like this album.

Yes, it might not be 'up to par' with some of Prince's great albums, but most albums period (Prince or otherwise) aren't. Doesn't mean they are not worth listening to.

It's a shame most of you don't like Lemon Crush. I love that song!

Whiskas31 said:

funkomatic said:

"Feel U Up" is better anything on this mediocre album! I love that Camille-track!

Isn't it funny that people desperately try to find some musical moments to legitimate their excitement? People, this album is musically just not up to par with Prince's great albums! It's ridiculous!

[Edited 5/23/12 3:11am]

I don't have to justify my excitement for an album. It seems with comments like 'It was all movie hype. Nothing else!', you are trying too hard to justify why you don't like this album.

Yes, it might not be 'up to par' with some of Prince's great albums, but most albums period (Prince or otherwise) aren't. Doesn't mean they are not worth listening to.

I don't think, I'm trying too hard. I'm even too lazy to argue musically like so many of the Batman album lovers try to do.

This album wouldn't have sold because of its musical merits without the hype of the movie. Do you question this?

It's just a typical behaviour of today's Prince fans that they feel the need to praise mediocrity as the work of a genius, although most of Prince's work after 1988 is far away from being outstanding.

Whiskas31 said:

It's a shame most of you don't like Lemon Crush. I love that song!

I think the problem is that and trust are kinda weird, but theyre both amazing

funkomatic said:

Whiskas31 said:

I don't have to justify my excitement for an album. It seems with comments like 'It was all movie hype. Nothing else!', you are trying too hard to justify why you don't like this album.

Yes, it might not be 'up to par' with some of Prince's great albums, but most albums period (Prince or otherwise) aren't. Doesn't mean they are not worth listening to.

I don't think, I'm trying too hard. I'm even too lazy to argue musically like so many of the Batman album lovers try to do.

This album wouldn't have sold because of its musical merits without the hype of the movie. Do you question this?

It's just a typical behaviour of today's Prince fans that they feel the need to praise mediocrity as the work of a genius, although most of Prince's work after 1988 is far away from being outstanding.

I don't think anyone is trying to 'argue'. This is a Batman appreciation thread, we are just 'appreciating'. As they say, one man's meat is another man's poison.

Agreed that this sold well because of the movie hype, but it also sold well because people liked the singles (batdance, partyman etc.). Considering alot of the tracks from the album were in the movie, it was a brilliant platform for many non fans to hear and appreciate his music. If the music had been that bad, I doubt people would have bought the album, regardless of whether it was part of the Batman franchise.

As for praising mediocrity, I will be the first one to say how much I dislike Musicology, Planet Earth. I even find Dirty Mind to be overrated.

Of course you are allowed to dislike Batman, or consider it to be one of his weakest, but I don't think it's fair to say that people who do appreciate it, have no music taste, or no concept of what is decent music. As they say, music is subjective.

I think it's an exceptional album! 9/10

The Scandalous Sex Suite is one of the best things I heard in my life! The Rapture just leads me into a rapture. Hahaha...EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT..IS PERFECT!

SEX, one of his most underrated B-Sides. His true last Camille effort in my opinion. That song gives me the funk spill. I dance all the time to it, it's a dark yet enlightening Gem. One of his best B-Sides!

Around this time, Prince was still playing with darkness. Dancing with the devil, and just raving unto a joy that was fantastic. I think Batman really outlined the darkness he experienced way better than 'The Black Album'.

The future is one of the most underrated songs By Prince! This is a political ode’ where he speaks of ‘The Future’ in which displays images, of the past, according to Hollywood. How Systematic institutions overthrow the underclass. It’s a dark song with meaning and we see the personal connections seen in his life at the time.

“Yellow Smiley offers me X
Like he’s drinking 7-Up
I would rather drink 6 razor blades
Razor blades from a paper cup
He can’t understand, I say 2 tough
It’s just that I’ve seen the future and, boy, it’s rough”

Ecstasy is obviously ‘X’. He hasn’t been this personal in a song in a while. ‘Yellow Smiley’ could be a person who smiles and who is very positive and friendly. Basically a nice person takes this drug, while he offers it to Prince…

But Prince rather drinks 6 razor blades from a paper cup. The guy who offers it, doesn’t understand. (Apparently because it makes him feel good..he doesn’t see why Prince can feel good either) Prince basically says: Too bad. IT WILL BE ROUGH, if the future is only drugs. Haha

The Arms Of Orion..is one of the most beautiful ballads ever..I don't care what anyone says. I did a thread about it a couple of months back..that's how wonderful it is..lol

Anyways...I can talk about this time in heights!

I could go with Lemon Crush! If he replaced that for 'I Love U In Me'...it would be simply a MASTERPIECE! I Love U In Me, has some of his most unique registers.

His guitar is so dark and sensual around this time. I love his vocals here too...It's a perfect ending to the 80's!

I think I need to start a Lemon Crush appreciation thread.

Whiskas31 said:

I think I need to start a Lemon Crush appreciation thread.

Was thinking exactly the same thing. That is one of the best songs on the album along with The Future.

It's an amazing track

Probably his weakest album of the 80's, but there have been much worse albums since.

The Batman soundtrack was Prince's first shitty album. it was so disappointing coming after Lovesexy. I think he just freaked out and sold out a little..just was in a panic about not enough commerical success that he was so used to..sad.

So I'm curious; do people consider it a weak album purely because of the poppy, commercial feel of it? Because the songs aren't "deep" enough?

Sometimes all that's needed is a cheap and cheerful pop song. And I think the Batman album delivers that. It doesn't try to be anything it's not and I can respect that.

SDNafka said:

Whiskas31 said: