Russian

All About Us (ukmusic.com)

Time of publication: 06.09.2005
After infuriating Richard and Judy into calling for their videos to be banned and the furore over the "Are they? Are they not?" lesbians debate, Julia Volkova and Lena Katina are back to kick up a storm in the pop world. "All About Us" has the intensity of "Not Gonna Get Us" cushioned with the soft, poetic concern of "All The Things She Said". The new single is also drenched in a dry sense of humour. Just as you're looking at their single, Tatu are looking right back at you. They're asking you why you have such a preoccupation with them? They want to know why you care if the fiery red-heard reaches over and delivers a soft, passionate kiss on the lips of the brunette? There's a sprinkling of the gothic, intricately laced, bleakness of Tori Amos's music. Darkness and despair with the promise to rise again soon into a positive frame of mind. Let's face it; pop doesn't quite know what to do with itself these days. The men with high voices are on the march and taking over the charts. Cabaret singers from "The X Factor" are hyped as the next big thing to hit music- before disappearing two seconds later. McFly have given up doing a bad impersonation of the Beach Boys and now think they're The WHO reincarnated. Pop music- and music in general for that matter - needs the input of women, now more than ever.

That was the problem you had with Tatu all along, wasn't it? They were women who dared to be ambiguous about their sexuality. They were women who didn't want to sing yet another song about how they are over their boyfriends but desperate to meet new men. Tatu were sexy, confident women. A mere whisper of strong women in music sent the indie music lobby into a madness of foaming-at-the-mouth proportions. "Glum-Rock" - that sad, pathetic drivel conjured up by the lonely, thirty-something male was in danger from someone who actually wanted to make music. Tatu are back boys. "All About Us" is gritty; strong with a tender side that caresses with a kiss. The second album is on the horizon. In Russia, the success of pop music does not tilt precariously on the edge of the goldfish attention span of a fourteen-year-old. Over there, music means something. Get your notebooks out UK music moguls. The first lesson is about to begin.

Rating: 5/5

Release Date: 26th September 2005
Record Label: Interscope Records/Universal

Martin Drury
ukmusic.com
06.09.2005
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