Russian

Dangerous and Moving (RollingStone)

Time of publication: 07.10.2005
Whatever you may conclude about the possibly crass but unquestionably radical marketing of a Russian teenage duo composed of supposed lesbian lovers, only a spoilsport would deny the dark dance-pop pleasures of T.a.t.u.'s hits. Coming three years after their first CD arrived on the charts, Dangerous and Moving revisits their themes of alienation and ambiguous sexuality played out on top of very European techno rock: "All About Us" rewrites the two-against-the-world theme of the first album's "Not Gonna Get Us," while "Loves Me Not" spins the same-sex longing of "All the Things She Said" into a bisexual love triangle. Although spunky cuties Julia Volkova and Lena Katina have improved their English-pronunciation skills, the hooks they're handed this second time around are decidedly duller, and the limitations of their vocal abilities are exaggerated, not concealed, by the bluntly simplistic tunes of "Cosmos (Outer Space)" and "Sacrifice." This T.a.t.u. wasn't designed to last.

Barry Walters
RollingStone
20.10.2005
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