Make Up-The Studio Version is something different, but not much of interest to me(it sounds Cold and Detached with No Emotion like some of the Radiohead Early 2000 Electronic Type Songs-just not of their Quality of course), so I rate this Song a 2. The reason I used the reply for my Rating, is that this Concert with The Time playing the Music just improved Every Song(Especially 'Make Up' adding some Time FUNK to it) one Grade Higher for me. I wish their was a Live Release of this Concert with the SQ cleaned up, as the audience recording is not good, but I would buy this release on CD. Wonder if any such recording done professionally of this concert is in the Vault? Thanks YMC4 for Posting this Concert.
I'm only familiar with the Prince version on Originals. It never struck me as a highlight of that compilation. Still, the synth track is enjoyable enough and certainly doesn't overstay its welcome. The vocals are a bit too deadpan for me, taking it down a notch. 2.5/5
Make-Up is one of the best songs on the album! I really love the robotic deliverance of the lyrics and the synths. The intro alone (why did they delete that on the Originals version?) is amazing! The song is just over 2 minutes and gone before you know it (long live 'repeat' ) The song is cold and strange, with a lot of echo and a middle-east (?) like flute sound near the end. Even without the lyrics, it's amazing (like this fan made mainly instrumental version) Prince's version is also pretty good. A highlight on the Originals album (among highlights!) Being used to Susan's version, I like that version just a bit more (also because of the missing intro) Both versions are a solid 4 out of 5 for me.
Make Up: 4/5 Still revered today by many Electronica musicians. Huge amount of airplay in big techno markets like Detroit (thanks, Electrifying Mojo). Susan’s vocals are once again perfect. Prince could have released this under his own name, and freaked some people out. A great teaser for the 1999 sound, but even more progressive. Love the Originals version too (also a 4) This song made a comeback in the early 2000’s due to the ElectroClash movement, of which this was nearly Ground Zero.
It always struck me how some artists get a pass for things when others are derided for the same. Rules for some... rules for others. Anyway all this ties back to the year of 1982. 1999 would be released. So would Vanity 6. So would many other albums, one of which was Trans by Neil Young. Now, if you've followed Neil's career as much as I have or even if you're familiar with it just a little, you'd know that Trans was a tad divisive. You either thought Neil had gone off the deep end, or you found the album to be completely misunderstood. I'm definitely in the latter camp. I love Trans for its wackiness, its melodies and its deep, deep sincerity. You see, Neil has two sons with cerebral palsy. His eldest, Zeke, has a minor form of CP, while his middle child, Ben, is severely inflicted. Neil's late (ex) wife Pegi founded the Bridge School to help provide an environment for Ben and similar children to learn. Even if you're a rich rock star, it's an utterly admirable thing to have done for your child, but when Pegi (and Neil) couldn't find an avenue for their son to learn, they went an created one. Trans was Neil's attempt to connect with his son. He used strange, robot-like vocals on a number of songs ('Computer Age', 'Transformer Man', 'Sample and Hold' among others) as a way to try and communicate with Ben, and the results have been ripped apart by many in the nearly 40 years since its release as Neil Young being wacky for wacky's sake, and in many reviews they almost equate the different nature of the album with being bad, and it's the go to reference for artists going a little troppo. To me, there's nothing token about the album. Yes it sounds wacky, but there's a reason behind it, a very human one that often gets missed. So why am I talking about a Neil Young album in a review for a Vanity 6 song? Well, I mentioned earlier that one of the songs Neil sung with his vocoder was a song called 'Sample and Hold'. Now, for probably the first time, I thought of 'Sample and Hold' and 'Make Up' as cousins. Both released in the same year, both (kind of) cut from the same cloth. These, if you can believe it, are the opening lyrics to 'Sample and Hold': "Sample and Hold Hair: Blonde Eyes: Blue Weight: 110 Disposition: Even Mood Code: Rotary Adjustable I need a unit to sample and hold But not the angry one A new design, new design." Wondering what it sounds like? Well here's a taste: Contrast that with the opening lyrics to 'Make Up': "Blush Eyeliner Hush See what you made me do? Base Mascara Erase I wanna look good 4 you Comb Hair Don't care I always comb my hair" Both songs seem cold. Robotic lyrics. No, 'Make Up' isn't sung through a vocoder like 'Sample and Hold', but both songs are sung in a way to strip human elements from the vocals. In 'Make Up' it's Susan Moonsie, purposely singing in a monotonous tone as if reading off a shopping list, in 'Sample and Hold' it's Neil's vocoder use throughout the song. You might think I'm nuts with this comparison, but I'll stick by it, and to bring it around to my opening statement, the sound that Prince and Vanity 6 got on 'Make Up' isn't too removed to what he'd release on 1999, which we rightly remember as another peak in his career. People were willing to accept the sound that Prince gave us here and on 1999, but for Neil, not so much. David Geffen would go so far to sue him for not making albums that sound like Neil Young. Trans was just one of the first apparent missteps for Young in the 80s, and it took until 1989 for him to make Freedom, an album with a 'classic' Neil Young sound, for him to regain popularity with critics and fans alike. So while some might listen to 'Make Up' and think of it as a quirky three minutes and nothing more, I listen and I hear an artist trying to push the boundaries of his sound, trying to figure out which direction it would take him, and succeeding. Then, I listen to 'Sample and Hold' and I think the same, but I then remember that Neil was told he wasn't allowed to sound like that. He needed to sound like Neil Young. Prince though (through Vanity 6)? He could do whatever he damn well pleased and we would accept it with open arms. 4/5
Make Up also makes me think how the sound segues into Detroit house. Its not far away, and has strong underground/gay origins, and relied on minimalist instrumentation for the groove and simple spoken lyrics. Hmmm....
This has always struck me as a dry run for 'All The Critics Love You In New York' - I like the robotic synth sound for the first minute or so, but it ultimately doesn't go anywhere and even short as it is outstays it's welcome. I prefer Prince's demo version. Vanity 6 - 3 Prince 3.5
dammit, im convinced, i couldn't get over the fact that it needed more musically, but you're right, its so damn good . the vocals are perfect, and thats saying a lot for Vanity (for the record my amended vote is 4.5)
"Make-Up" is a hot little number. Susan's cold vocal works very well. There's a serious sexiness to this robotic music. 3.7/5 Prince's demo version from the Originals release is largely the same but I don't think works as well with a male voice. This one needs Susan. 3.1/5
Make Up feels like it should be in an 80's movie, the scene when the small town boy moves to the city and goes to a decadent nightclub.... Prince vers 3/5 Vanity vers 3/5
Make-Up My favorite song on the album. The sound is just amazing, and Susan's deadpan vocals are delivered in exactly the way they needed to be. I wish it was longer! 5/5 -George
Our votes for "Make UP" Vanity 6: 1-1 2-1 3.4 4-7 5-3 Average: 3.6063 Originals: 1-1 2-0 3-4 4-4 5-0 Average: 3.1222
Today's song is "Bite the Beat" written by Prince (lyrics; credited to Brenda Bennett); and Jesse Johnson (music.) Produced by Prince and credited to The Starr Company and Vanity 6. \ Lyric. This song was released as a single in January 1983 and released in March 1983 as a B-side on the Drive Me Wild single. Brenda Bennett: lead vocal Vanity: backing vocal Susan Moonsie: backing vocal Jesse Johnson: guitar, bass guitar, keyboards Prince: all other instruments
Aw, I missed "Make Up"? Well I've always liked it, again, this is another one that's just cold as ice. Susan's delivery is perfect. 5/5 even though I missed it. Now, "Bite The Beat". Brenda. Oh, Brenda. I said it before, she's my favorite. I'd bite her beat... Ahem, sorry. 4/5.
I love Brenda's voice and all her other contributions to the group/the extended Prince universe, but good god, is this a stinker. Like, the actual lowpoint of the LP. Like, I physically cringe in embarrassment when it comes on. Luckily, she'd get knock her chance to shine out of the park on the next LP (my favourite track from A6). Tentative 2/5
"Bite The Beat" - Prince does the B-52's, with maybe a hint of The Go-Go's, The Waitresses or even Josie Cotton. It seems like kind of an odd cut for Vanity 6 to do in light of "Nasty Girl", but it's clear Prince saw them as more of a New Wave act than a funk or R&B band, even if their most-famous single (by far) brought the funk. It's OK - the lyrics are amusing and Brenda delivers one of the better sexy vocals on the disc. I probably would have gotten a kick out of this at the time. Now it feels more derivative than innovative, unlike "Nasty Girl". A really weak 3/5.
It's enjoyable New Wave -- it does sound like the B-52s -- it's mildly interesting that both Dickerson and Johnson were bringing these sort of fun New Wave influences to the music, whereas Prince's own music on this album was either this weird synthesized funk or this really arty synth/dance stuff. Brenda's vocal is O Anyway this new wave sound has always tickled me. 2.7/5
Bite The Beat Like a saucer version of the Go Go's 'We Got The Beat'. When Brenda tells you to bite her beat, you listen. 3/5
"Bite The Beat" is Prince's nod to The B-52s. In fact, it's more than a nod, it's a straight rip of their entire sound. The lyrics don't really make a ton of sense, but I do like the song. It's nothing special but I have a soft spot for this album I guess. 2.9/5
