To accompany the film, Holder and Lea began writing material for a soundtrack album, which would continue to see the band break out of their successful formula and try different musical ideas.

[9] In a 1986 fan club interview, guitarist Dave Hill spoke of the song: "It was totally different to anything we had ever done before, but you see we were capable of that sort of thing, though our manager/producer Chas Chandler used to keep us clear from that.

[17] Upon its release as a single, Sue Byrom of Record & Popswop Mirror noted "How Does It Feel" was "very different from the usual Slade material", with "far less reliance on guitars and far more on an orchestral arrangement".

"[18] Barry Nelson of the Cheshire Observer remarked how Slade had gone from "straightforward 'yob-rock' band" to "tak[ing] tentative steps towards musical creativity" which "seems to be an admirable thing once the shock wears off".

"[19] The Shepherds Bush Gazette and Hammersmith Post called it a "quiet, melodic record" which "follows the tradition set" by the preceding single, "Far Far Away" and concluded, "It's a long way from the raucous Slade of yesteryear, but I'm sure it'll get plenty of plays and do pretty well for itself.

"[20] John Hutson of the Thanet Times noted that the song, which he considered "another slow" one like "Far Far Away", "builds up to include crashing guitar chords together with some nice orchestration and piano work".

[21] James Belsey of the Bristol Evening Post wrote, "One of the best tracks from Flame, starting slow and sensitive, breaking into heavy and then alternating between rock and orchestra.

"[22] Sidney Nelson of the Nottingham Evening Post commented that it "starts off slowly and gets only marginally more up tempo" and how the "restrained Holder voice comes over well on this brush with melody".

[23] In the US, Cash Box stated, "It's a change of pace for Slade as the English thrashers have come up with an effective, almost ballad-like, single that contains the band's smoke without all the fire.