GOLD |
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Tracks 1-10 you all know. If you want to see reviews of these tracks you've heard before, see the other reviews pages
11. Chain Reaction - The first single to be released from 'Gold'. Well, the first time I heard this track was on the SM:TV performance, which was good. Bits of it, however, seemed a bit tacky and not produced well enough, so it'll be interesting to see if a new production team have been enrolled to do this track. Quite good. Would've been 8/10 on a good day, but being a cover, 7/10
12. Baby Don't Dance - I've not heard this track
Tracks 13-16 you all know
17. Only In My Dreams - I've not heard this track
18. Words Are Not Enough - A beautiful ballad, due to be a single release towards the end of November. This song is probably STEPS' best ballad and it is a group effort, showing off all 5's vocal talents. It shows how much STEPS have developed from their 1st balled 'Heartbeat' and I think that this single is sure to do well, and actually if it were to be released a month later, could be a very strong contender for Xmas #1! Brilliant.
Tracks 19 & 20 you all know
OVERALL
'Gold' is rather a clich� title for a GH album, but still, it's not the name, it's the tracks that count & what about them? Well, I wrote an email to Jive Records, Pete Waterman & everyone else discussing the tracklisting from a rumoured 2 disc Greatest Hits that was originally published on this site. I have not got a reply and probably won't get one but here is what I wrote:
To Jive Records,
I have been a fan of STEPS since 1997 and am eagerly anticipating the release of the Greatest Hits album. However, I have just seen a preliminary tracklisting of it on the Internet and I must say I am dissapointed. It is all very well putting the tracks on we know as this is the Greatest Hits. However, all these tracks over 2CD's does seem too excessive. I don't know who decides on the final tracklisting but I am assuming it is you, STEPS' record company. I have been studying the tracklistings of CDs by many different artists over the years and I would like to suggest the following to you:
It is a very good idea having 2 discs for a Greatest Hits album, almost entirely necessary, but my almost expert advice is this:
CD1:
15 (approx) of the STEPS tracks we know and love - a selection from all 3 studio albums. Not every single track released as a single spread over 2 discs - fans have most singles & all albums so why will they bother to buy the Greatest Hits if they can listen to the studio CD's with the same tracks? They won't bother as this would be a waste of money.
CD2:
A disc containing a selection of new tracks/tracks previously unavailable to the UK e.g. Human Touch. This disc should also include songs & remixes which are very hard to get hold of. For example, I don't know if you are aware, but there are STEPS fans CRYING OUT IN DESPERATION AND I AM NOT EXAGERATING for the UK CD's 5,6,7,8, Last Thing On My Mind and One For Sorrow CD2 as they can't get hold of them and want to hear the tracks. If these tracks were made available again (or at least some of them) then people would arrive in hoards trying to get them first. Here I am suggesting mostly 'Words Of Wisdom', 'Last Thing On My Mind (Wip't Up In The Disco Mix)' and 'One For Sorrow (WIP Remix)' which are most wanted. Other tracks would be 'A Love to Last', '5,6,7,8 (WIP Remix) [the full 3:05 version]' and '5,6,7,8 (Extended Version)'. These tracks would sell the album probably quicker than any other album before - NO JOKE. May I please remind you that 'Stomp' did not acheive UK number 1 status because it is a brilliant song. It IS brilliant, however, the CD included Tragedy (WIP's Reception Mix), which NOBODY outside the music industry has ever heard because it was only available on a 12" promotional disc, which the general music buying public do not have access to. This track was widely available to them on 'Stomp' so they bought 'Stomp' so they could hear Tragedy (WIP's Reception Mix). If that track were not included & it was e.g. a different Stomp remix, 'Stomp' the single would only have acheived approx. number 4 in the UK chart. A selection of 10 tracks from the afore mentioned would make the Greatest Hits Of STEPS SELL LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING SOLD BEFORE. These e.g. 10 tracks on disc 2 could include STEPS music videos to play on a PC CD-ROM drive. Such videos could be Tragedy, Summer Of Love & You'll Be Sorry. These are not essential, but may help. Early STEPS tracks or rare STEPS tracks are VITAL for a huge sale. Tracks included on tour videos will not work as well because many fans have either seen them on the video or heard them live on the brilliant STEPS tours. On the latest STEPS single Here and Now/You'll Be Sorry, instead of adding 'Just Like The First Time' to the disc, a track like 'Words Of Wisdom' for example would sell the single better because it is a rare track & as far as I know cannot be downloaded off the Internet. even though 'Just Like The First Time' is a better song than 'Words Of Wisdom', 'Words Of Wisdom' would have sold the disc better and could probably have got it a higher UK chart position than number 4.
A good example of a top notch selling Greatest Hits album would be the recent Greatest Hits of Texas album, of which I own myself. There are 17 songs & 1 remix on disc 1, plus 6 remixes and 3 videos on disc 2. The discs come in an attractively presented cardboard wraparound sleeve over the regular plastic album sized case. This has been number 1 in the UK for many, many weeks. Why? Because of the amazing tracklisting. However, this 2CD set was called 'Special Limited Deluxe Edition'. It is hard to get hold of it now and only the 1st disc containing the 17 songs & 1 remix are available as a single disc in the shops. STEPS could do the same - have their 2CD set available only for a limited time & then have one CD containing the songs on. This would further increase sales within the first week of releasse.
I know that this has been a rather long E-mail and I am grateful to you for reading it. I hope that you will be able to take heed of some of the advice before 'Gold' is released.
Thank-you very much,
Please do reply to me,
Yours Sincerely,
Daniel Pickles - webmaster of http://www.geocities.com/djsteps2000 on behalf of many, many STEPS fans desperately searching a STEPS Greatest Hits album containing the regular STEPS songs we all know and love, along with tracks previously unheard by many devoted STEPS fans. If 'Gold' is closing 'Chapter 1 of STEPS' - let it end it on a fantastic note and therefore promote fans confidence in STEPS in Chapter 2 - wherever that takes us. If you take may advice, 'Gold' will acheive those I am sure much sought after objectives.
Thank-you.
Well, I got no reply to this so the 2 discs are non-existent and we have to manage with new tracks. Lets hope they're good. Read my Chain Reaction review above to see first impressions. As an overall score, this album is basically STEPS singles put together on an album with 4 extra tracks (3 if you count Chain Reaction). This isn't too impressive - as you have read above, I have already described the ideal GH album, which Gold certainly isn't. If the 3 previously unheard tracks are not very good, the album will be an incredible dissapointment and not worth buying, especially if the other 3 song s are due for a release as a single. I would imagine that at least 1 of them will be released and possibly one more. If all of them are released then that shows to me a lack of new material. The album should've included tour songs (R Dancin' was originally listed [rumoured] also where are we gonna hear the new track for the US; Mars & Venus (We Fall In Love Again). After downloading this track first impression are that this song is rather basic. The at first seemingly complicated title is easy to lyrically publisise (even though it is the first STEPS song to include brackets in the title. And where is Human Touch? (not heard it so can't review it). Not a good selection of tracks. Not even an enhanced bit with some videos or a gallery or something. We'll just have to hope for a Limited Edition Fan Package with extra stuff on to surface in the next few weeks before release, because I don't think it'll do very well just as this single disc.
OVERALL SCORE........................................6/10
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