Customer Reviews

Buzz

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Okay so I am in America and STEPS have been the BIGGEST musical influence in my life. I think they may have been "manufactured" but they werre incredible nonetheless. The British version did have much better songs that were unfortuantely left off of the US version, and MARS AND VENUS sucked. Turn Around, Paradise Lost, Youll be sorry, and If you believe had to be the best songs Steps ever did.

The American version of STEP ONE included Better The Devil You Know, a clever Kylie Minogue remake, that they did her justice.
So that is why it is absent from the US version of Buzz.

1. Buzz - Okay, but can get boring. 3/5
2. It's the way you make me feel - Excellent song and video 5/5
3. Happy go lucky - They werent trying hard enough. 2/5
4. Mars and Venus - They might as well have made all crap tracks for US as this song dooms the album. 0/5
5. Stomp - Very catchy and Disco fun, but still lacks. 3/5
6. Here and now - I thought this was powerful, I love it 4/5
7. Summer of love - One of the best tracks on this CD. 5/5
8. Never get over you - Lisa flexes her songwriting skills and hits a homer on this song. I lok forward to her solo deal. 5/5
9. Woudlnt hurt so bad - I didnt like it at first but after a many listens it has grown to be one of the best on the CD. 4/5
10. Learn to love again - The only song I can actually enjoy H's voice. Best Song on CD. 5/5***
11. Hand on your heart - Claire's attempt at songwriting goes fairly well with this ballad. 4/5.

All in all i think theyd have done WAY better in the US if those tracks hadnt been omitted, and if theyre producers had actually put out a few bucks for promotion other than Disney. Putting an artist on Disney practically dooms them from normal music, Hilary Duff a HUGE exception.

One genre of music I grew up with is British bubblegum pop. Performers like Rick Astley, Bananarama, Mel and Kim, and Samantha Fox, which were the product of the Stock-Aitken-Waterman machine. The influence of that 1980's bubblegum sound seeped through effectively on their debut Step One. Indeed, the last track was a cover of Kylie Minogue's "Better The Devil You Know" from Rhythm Of Love. So, what about Buzz, their sophomore effort? What is doubtless about Buzz is that it is not a carbon copy of their triumphant debut. Let me say right off the bat that Steps' music works when they are borrowing from influential disco from the 1970's and 1980's. There's nothing wrong with that--they play it safe. For example, "Happy Go Lucky" is an interesting track with two distinctive rhythms. The verses are reminiscent of Ace Of Base's pop/dub reggae, which then bursts into a bouncy Kylie Minogue-style chorus that would set the toughest platform shoes ablaze. "Summer Of Love" recalls Saint Etienne's "Pale Movie" in some parts as well as ABBA-ish synthesizers and synchronized harmonizing in the bouncy parts. The standout cut is "Stomp," a vivacious old school disco number which is a tribute to Chic, or more specifically, to Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of that group. "Never Get Over You" is a track that might have been at home on their earlier effort. "Mars & Venus (We Fall In Love Again)" is a nice ballad that allows would-be partiers at Studio 54 a break inbetween "Happy Go Lucky" and "Stomp." "Wouldn't Hurt So Bad" and "Learn To Love Again" are filler in comparison, but the closing track, "Hand On Your Heart" (no, not the Kylie Minogue song from Enjoy Yourself) is a noteworthy ballad that I can easily envision being done by Debbie Gibson or Jessica Simpson. However, tracks like "It's The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Here And Now" have a sound that would work just as well for Britney Spears. (Note: nothing personal was intended against Ms. Spears in any sort of way.) Bottom line: Buzz is a worthy followup to Step One, and will cement Steps' future in British pop while the genre lasts.

Steps have returned with another poptastic album full of fun lovin songs that make you want to get upo and invade the dance floor. Buzz contains the UK number 1 Stomp, the number 2 hit Its The Way you Make Me Feel and the up comonh double A sided You'll Be Sorry an Here And Now. Buzz is full of top quality songs from start to finish and even features Better The Devil You know from the christmas before last. This album has buy me written all over it

The third Steps album is incredibly refreshing and opens with a cover of the Kylie classic 'Better The Devil You Know'. The singles so far include the Flashdance-esque 'Summer Of Love', disco stormer 'Stomp', 'It's The Way You Make Me Feel' and the new double A-side 'You'll Be Sorry / Here And Now'. These tracks are probably the strongest here although 'Never Get Over You', 'If You Believe' and 'Paradise Lost' are all superb examples of classic pop. There are a few tracks which are not so good, in particular the Sonique 'It Feels So Good' rip off 'Learn To Love Again' which is definately worth skipping and the watery title track 'Buzz'. Apart from that a fine album, and there's more new tracks to come on the forthcoming 'Greatest Hits' album.

Buzz is a very good album from start to finish. 1) Better The Devil You Know - This is a cover of the Kylie Minogue classic. It is very catchy and very dancey. 2) Stomp - a big disco number that is a cover of the Brothers Johnson classic. It is complete with laser sounds, violins, and everything from the 70s. 3) Summer Of Love - A Latin influenced song. It is very excellent from beginning to end. The vocals are very powerful and very catchy. This song has a great hook. 4) It's The Way You Make Me Feel - this song sounds very much like something Britney Spears would do. It is produced by Cherion Studios, who have also worked with Britney, NSync, and Backstreet Boys among others. It is a beautiful mid-tempo number with wonderful vocals. 5) You'll Be Sorry - this song has a killer intro. It builds up to a very powerful chorus. 6) Learn To Love Again - this song is not one of the best on the album, but has nice vocal effects. 7) Never Get Over You - a really great dance song. It has a nice intro and a very catchy hook. 8) Hand On Your Heart - the first ballad of the album. It is pretty relaxing and a nice song. 9) Happy Go Lucky - This song sounds like a mix between NSync and Ace Of Base. It is produced by NSync producers Riprock `N' Alex G. It has a real pop/reggae feel to it and uses a vocoder at some parts. 10) Buzzz - This song also sounds like a mix between NSync and Ace Of Base. It was also produced by Riprock `N' Alex G. The chorus is pretty catchy with creative lyrics as well. 11) Here And Now - This song has amazingly beautiful vocals. It is very catchy and very well-done song. 12) Paradise Lost - the backbeat of this song sounds almost identical to the backbeat in Ace Of Base's "The Sign". The vocals are very beautiful, contributing to a very beautiful, melancholy song. It builds up to a very powerful chorus. 13) Turn Around - this is another dancey song on the album, produced by Metro, who have also worked with Cher on her album "Believe". 14) Wouldn't Hurt So Bad - another ballad on the album. This song doesn't really break any new ground, but has nice lyrics. 15) If You Believe - a very beautiful, inspiring song. The orchestral intro is very nice. The vocals are also powerful and well-done. All in all, this is a pretty satisfying album.

Steps was a great group. I live in the states and the impact they had on me was big, so it makes me shudder to think how big they were in the UK. They were like our Britney Spears or N SYNC.
I admit after hearing the import of Buzz, I am saddened by the missing tracks, and the addition of Mars and Venus was no smart move. I can tell you what songs would have made it in the US.

Tragedy
Bittersweet
Words are not enough
Turn around
You'll be sorry
Just like the first time
One for sorrow

5,6,7,8
Paradise lost
Lay all your love on me
Here and now
It's the way you make me feel
Chain reaction

These are the best tracks and if u havent heard them, i suggest you download them. I think it [is bad] that steps broke up and that i will have to buy imported cds of their solo efforte because they wont release them out here.

steps album buzz (the original version in the u.k) has all the tracks on the import version, but its as cheap as an import cd single over here!...it contains all the tracks listed, as does steptacular (step one to you!)with the tracks listed on that page, except a few extras, well, about 5 or 6 extras! I havent yet had a chance to look at there debut album/ 1st album released in america,if there was one!...if not, then overall, steps record company have deprived you of upto 18 tracks!- and they where good tracks!....they shouldnt have been ditched in the 1st place! If there was a 1st album, then you have still been deprived of atleast 7 tracks! -you may have the odd new one on youre versions, but ive heard them and there nothing compared to some of the tracks youre missing out on!

P.S. look to the date on this review....now take this in....steps split up officially 3 days ago!- its been all over the news over here, mind you i dont know if steps have had such a successful carrier over there!

By far the most wholesome, sanitized pop group to surface out of the UK in the last few years has been the co-ed confection Steps, who rather than go for hip-hop lite and funky beats instead relish in cheesy, infectious pop music(though often compared to ABBA, that would be doing ABBA a great disservice--Steps are decent, but no ABBA). On their second stateside release, they actually do attempt to branch out slightly from the Stock Aitken Waterman-style Europop ditties, adding drum loops here and there and a slight R&B edge to some of the tracks, but not enough of a deviation from their trademark to make fellow Brits All Saints or Hear'Say lose any sleep. It's all very pleasant and inoffensive--they're actually pretty decent singers, and 'It's The Way You Make Me Feel' and the pseudo-disco tribute 'Stomp' are both keepers, with the rest of the album filled out by solid, if unspectacular, tunes. All in all, an ever-so-slight inprovement over their first record.

Steps' 2nd album here is the US kinda dissapoints me. Hardly any of the good tracks are on this version like You'll Be Sorry & Human Touch. The song Mars & Venus is okay but it doesn't make up for You'll be Sorry & Human Touch. Hopefully this album will make their mark here in the US along with their being featured in this month's J14 twice & in Teen People. Sorry but I'm buying the import!

Really, if Steps were to make a CD for the true fans, why would they take out a lot of the songs from the UK release, including "You'll be Sorry" one of their better songs. The new song "Mars and Venus" is stupid. But still you get some good worthwhile tracks. "stomp" is fruity yet lots of fun. "It's The Way You Make Me Feel" cheesy yet irresistible. "Here and Now" a Britney Spears ... yet it is one of the best songs of its type. "Summer of Love" the video was a gap video ... but it finally showed they could dance for something. Anyways, my advice is buy the import release of Buzz. 15 Tracks instead of the US's 11. Or better yet, wait til Oct.1 and import the GOLD: Greatest Hits release.