I've listened a couple of times now and it still needs to grow. There's definitely a couple in the first half that I'm not overly keen on, I'd say Drum, Boys and Metal Heart are not doing anything for me but things start to get better again in the second half.

I’m just finishing up listening to the three new songs now and I’m really enjoying them all. Great additions to the an already great album.

The chart position is good! It was always going to be "doomed" to chart low without physicals so it's about as good as we could've hoped for in the circumstances. I'm more glad we have this incredible project without worrying about the charts anyway!

I mean to be fair literally only diehards will have downloaded an album they could stream for free anyway and I’m guessing a good 90% of that total is made up of actual downloads rather than streams so that’s pretty great for something fans had no need to actually spend £8 on :lol:

For context, the top 10 most downloaded albums of a couple of weeks ago

 

3,052 THERE'S NOTHING BUT SPACE MAN SAM RYDER

344 CHRISTMAS MICHAEL BUBLE

257 SOS SZA

236 NO THANK YOU LITTLE SIMZ

186 SEVENTEEN GOING UNDER SAM FENDER

184 A FAMILY CHRISTMAS ANDREA/MATTEO/VIRGINIA BOCELLI

170 MIDNIGHTS TAYLOR SWIFT

168 MARRY ME OLLY MURS

132 THIS IS WHAT I MEAN STORMZY

129 RUMOURS FLEETWOOD MAC

 

Just to show how pitiful the sales for this format are beyond week 1 pre-orders for big artists...!

Drum and Boys are the two that I am not *totally* in love with but they're both good nonetheless. The rest are... perfection.

 

I can't believe the Victory slander I am seeing :o It sounds very All Saints in their past two eras, which is the highest of compliments???

 

So in love with this album, could continue to grow into one of the best girl group albums ever for me - this better not just be recency talking, I hope it isn't just a fad in my affections!

Drum was my instant favourite 6 years ago when the tracks first leaked. It remained my fave until Love Me Hard leaked. That’s still where I find myself now. Drum reminds me so much of some of the interesting directions they went in with some album tracks and bsides, especially in the Angels and Three eras. Not sonically so much but like the attitude and experimentation of it. If you describe it, you’re like „oh that’s not a Sugababes song“ but when you listen to Mutyas silky sultry opening verse then the „coz I love it when you beat my“ harmony you’re suddenly checking if Xenomania made it because it very firmly is a Sugababes song

I'm happy it managed to go Top 200 tbh! It's a very streaming heavy chart, and of course no physicals available. It charting at all was certainly against the odds!

The Lost Tapes deluxe is OUT now in the UK!!!

 

 

Back to Life, Breathe Me and Only You are the three additions. (Also just 7,99£ on iTunes like the standard edition)

(Note for SpiceBoy, the three new additions don’t have lyrics on Apple Music yet. Not sure about Spotify but it might take a couple of days for them to appear)

Theres a New Voice effect on the secondary lines in the chorus on Only You and I’m not sure about it. The downside of having lived with the demos

I was considering buying the deluxe edition as well but at $16.99 I’ll just buy the three new tracks individually.

I hadn't listened to these three new tracks before, so they were totally new to me. And tbh, while they're nice, they don't impress me much! I think they were deservedly cut from the main album / batch. Detinitely the three weakest tracks out of the whole 16.

Ooops I just bought the full deluxe edition - I just assumed that it would "complete" the album when I bought it like it did with Flatline :lol: Oh well, crafty Kweens of scamming me.

 

I barely remembered Back to Life to be honest. I can see why; it's a nice bonus track/b-side but I guess, but I agree - it was deservedly left off the main album. I still don't like their cover of Breathe Me; it's such an iconic Sia song and I would've been satisfied with them just doing it as an acoustic cover thing (which they would sound gorgeous on), but I have really no time for a studio version. The production is at least better than the weird dance thing they did for the demos.

 

Honestly, I had kind of wished they would've saved Only You for some sort of EP of the dancier/upbeat tracks that were on the demo but that's me being greedy; I'm glad if they leave most of the other tracks behind now. :lol:

Edited December 31, 20222 yr by tommie

I enjoy the three deluxe tracks! Maybe Back to Life is the least essential for me. I have to confess that I’m not familiar with Breathe Me by Sia so that’s essentially a new Sugababes track to me. I think Only You is my favourite of the 3!

I was listening to this whilst out for a walk today and I can confirm that Summer Of 99 sounds sensational on a hot summers day.

Think we can safely say, sadly, we’re not getting a physical release for this which is a shame. 🥲

 

Bittersweet as it is some of their best work and it deserves a glorious physical release to sit along with their collection but at the same time, this is just fan service and it is amazing that we finally get to have this at all

Ngl, I'm surprised they've not done an exclusively on vinyl thing for it though! I really think it'd be a big vinyl seller. Who knows, maybe it'll be a Record Store Day exclusive or something?

(Note for SpiceBoy, the three new additions don’t have lyrics on Apple Music yet. Not sure about Spotify but it might take a couple of days for them to appear)

 

 

Thanks, I am ashamed to say I have had not had chance to check the album out yet so will occupy my time with the first release before moving onto the deluxe tracks.

I am also surprised they have not done an online exclusive physicals thing but I guess it comes down to budget and if they do not have a record label yet then its coming out of their own pocket.