Steps - General Discussion + Hard 2 Forget

What part of To the beat... acoustic is acoustic. It's amazing though

 

So far. Solid. Some nice vocals/harmonies.

It's definitely a grower and maybe not too out there.

The into to Take Me For A Ride is great. And the Initial Talk of Wasted Tears really adds to the song.

The acoustic of To The Beat Of My Heart really isn't too acoustic is it? Haha

But apart from the short yet very sweet bit I'm Trouble And Love I'm sadly not hearing too much of Lee in this one. It's like he's talking a step back and H has been brought forward. I might have you bring back the slogan "Let Lee Sing"

A few more listens to give a more constructive feedback.

But it's here. Yay!

 

Lisa tapped a tambourine over zoom once for it. You have to listen very closely.

 

Calling it Pt. 2 is making it just feel like Side B for me. I’ve gone into it feeling like they’re extras instead of a brand new album and so far that’s what it feels like for me. And that’s not dismissing that there’s good songs in here, I’m enjoying it so far. I prefer Carly’s Dedicated Side B to the parent album and I’ve got a feeling that could happen here too.

I just wonder should they have named it something else. I think someone said Faye said Pt. 2 was the best of a bad bunch of names.

 

There's NO ballads!!!! Omg I'm loving this

 

Should have just called it Melodifestivalen

 

I can see Victorious working in a live setting, it's made for people to join in clapping

 

The Wasted Tears Initial Talk Remix is making me think of The Two Of Us theme (you're all to young to remember)

Hey if the Manics can sample Watching...

 

One thing that bothers me is the lack of hype from the lead single, and I'm not sure how many people apart from fanbase are aware of this Part 2 release. Everything they do on youtube & IG are just for fans who follow them.

I mean, I know Take Me For A Ride is Radio 2's A list for a few weeks now, but the youtube views say this song is doing worse than Dancing With A Broken Heart..

 

Yet again, the vocal sharing spoils things.

It is no coincidence that Scared of the Dark and Something In Your Eyes are the most popular songs since the comeback,

I love the boys’ voices, but can we PLEASE stop splitting verses all the time, unless the song allows for it.

 

On first listen, this is more uptempo than Pt. 1, but then the ones from the first album are stronger than these. The production of the Melodifestivalen covers are a bit on the cheap side.

 

Delete.

 

2nd listen. I think I still prefer Part 1.
Part 2 does feel a bit "bonusy" Doesn't quite feel like a solid LP.

Still hard to say what I would like as the next single (or singles). Probably Trouble And Love and Living In A Lie (Maybe Wasted Tears)

Whereas on Part 1 there are still 3/4 solid singles that never were.

More listens definitely and will be needed. Some great sounds through, and fair cohesive too.

I'm ready for Part 3 now haha

 

I really like most of this album. Not sure about Trouble & Love and Kiss Of Life, but maybe they are growers? I don't like Victorious at all, but I didn't like the original version when I heard it either so I am not surprised. I do think the songs on part 1 were stronger, but this should be a nice companion to it.

Highlights are Wasted Tears, and especially the Initial Talk mix, it's very late '80s PWL and I live for that. Living In A Lie is also great, perfect late stage ABBA, and I really like A Hundred Years of Winter. I think they maybe need to be a bit careful with these Melodifestivalen songs. Not all of them are going to turn out as great as Something In Your Eyes, and both of the ones on part 2 don't really do it for me so far. I really think the lyrics of Victorious are a bit naff.
I've said this loads before but I think Steps are always at their best when there is that little twist of angst or darkness in their songs. I don't really get that with a lot of the songs on part 2. They aren't really sad bangers or bittersweet songs. In my opinion they could have done with another Happy or To The One, or Glitter and Gold. The Slightest Touch is probably the best song on the album and it's single opportunity was wasted.

Only first thoughts of course and I will have a much better and proper listen tomorrow after work.

 

Top Tier
Take Me For A Ride
Heartbreak In This City
Wasted Tears
Living In A Lie - forgiving the key change
The Slightest Touch

Mid Tier
Hundred Years Of Winter
A Million Years
Victorious
Kiss of Life

Low Tier
Trouble & Love - terrible title
High - the chorus just gives me X Factor winner montage

 

Lee shines so much on A Hundred Years of Winter and Trouble & Love.

 

A Hundred Years of Winter gives me Space Between Us vibe. It's a perfect song to listen while driving on a journey...

 

None of the album only tracks o remixes from the set are showing as download able from the official store

Also the bundle individually signed covers and Claire edition has sold out

 

A Hundred Years gives me the slight apocalyptic pop vibes that made Pt. 1 so compelling to listen during a global pandemic.

 

Playing To The One and Hundreds Winter back to back is one heck of a COSMICGASM experience. You're welcome!