Rating: - Still a great album, 10 years later...
the only thing that really thrilled me about the music from the previous Batman films was the fantastic Danny Elfman orchestrations. this time with Batman Forever, the soundtrack is decidedly more rock-influenced. this is a great album, good songs from multiple genres. U2's offering, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" and Seal's "Kiss From A Rose" are by far the strongest tracks on the album, but the other songs are great. Ten years after the film and album were released, i still listen to most of the songs on the album. here's a rundown of the songs:

U2's "Hold Me, Thrill Me..." - best rock song on the album, it's lyrics reflect the duality of Bruce Wayne/Batman, sweepingly rocking and heroic. too bad this song isn't remembered among U2's best songs

Brandy's "Where Are You Now" - a good, funk-filled song (thanks to some funky Lenny Kravitz guitar-playing) and soulful singing from Brandy.

PJ Harvey's "One Time Too Many" - forget Avril Lavigne, this is truly "girl rock". throw your Avril CD's away and look for PJ's stuff.

Seal's "Kiss From A Rose" - soft, silky love theme for the film and surprising heroic-sounding, too bad Seal's gonna be known as a One Hit Wonder for this song.

Massive Attack feat. Tracy Thorn - dark, creepy, mysteriously sexy, fits well with the cat-and-mouse lover's game Bruce Wayne plays with Chase Meridian

Eddi Reader's "Nobody Lives Without Love" - touching and sad, captures the loneliness of a superhero who can't share his deepest secrets with anyone.

The Offspring's "Smash It Up" - high-octane rock, fast and hard, fits Robin's wreckless style

Method Man's "The Riddler" - the obligatory "rap song", but still quite good

Nick Cave's "There Is A Light" - Goth rock, the style fits one of the film's villains, Two-Face.

Michael Hutchence's "The Passenger" - cover of an Iggy Pop song, a lot better than people give it credit for, good, dark synth-rock (it even sounds like they use a crowbar as an instrument! ha!), the lyrics make it sound like Batman is inviting you to take a ride in the Batmobile for a tour of Gotham City at night. good stuff!

The Devlins' "Crossing the River" - nice beat (sounds like bongo drums at the beginning of the song), nicely sung, captures more of Batman's loneliness and desire to love someone.

Sunny Day Real Estate' "8" - great rock song, driving, embodies Batman's drive and determination, one of those songs where you can't quite tell what they're singing, but you still love the song and listen to it over and over.

The Flmaing Lips' "Bad Days" - call me crazy, but i never saw what was so great about these guys. guess i'm not into the whole soft-rock thing.

Mazzy Star's "Tell Me Now" - Zzzzzzzzzzz...oops, sorry, i was listening to the song and fell asleep. totally uninspired, boring, doesn't belong on this album, belongs in a juke box of a sleepy little tavern somewhere. worst song on an album of above-par songs.