t.A.T.u. and the Imminent Return

[credoimprobus]

Well, okay, the Russian version of the album isn't even out yet so it will probably be a while before any of this hits the west, but what's poptimists for if not being ahead of the curve, eh?

Anyway, NEW SONGS! The first one, Beliy Plaschik, apparently surfaced a good half year ago, but wasn't officially released till May:

(nb video not entirely SFW)

(Here also is an audio-only of English version White Robe.)


And here is recently dropped follow-up 220:

I can say I'm stoked about whatever may be coming up, at least!

---

Elsewhere, a proper brand spanker: Anna Abreu, as previously featured in Hitz from Finland back here, has literally just dropped the lead for her upcoming second album, and it is FANTASTIC. Kylie-esque electropop, and dear god, I didn't even know pop this polished could be made here! Anna sounds better than ever, too.

Love that chorus!

Comments

Request for Consumer Guide

[koganbot]

Question: are the Russian versions of the two LPs...

--Better than the English?
--Worse than the English?
--Worth getting because significantly different?
--Not significantly different other than in language I don't understand?
--Significantly different if for no other reason than that Russian is the prettiest-sounding language ever?

Also, who is better...

--Lena?
--Tulia?
--They are equally good?
--They are equally bad?
--They are beyond good and bad?

Also, is original Russian pre-Trevor Horn arrangement of "Ya Soshla S Uma" that is on 200/Po Vstrechnoi...

--Significantly different from "All The Things She Said"-"Ya Shosla S Uma" (notice spelling botch) on the English-language 200 km/h In The Wrong Lane?
--Significantly different because it contains fewer rockerisms?
--Significantly better?
--Significantly worse?

(Actually, this might or might not answer my question, but would still like your answer.)

Bonus question: "Russian is the prettiest-sounding language" says YouTube commenter.

--Agree
--Disagree
--What are you talking about? There are only four languages: English, Spanish, French, and German.
--Other

Re: Request for Consumer Guide

[koganbot]

Er, typo. Tulia = Yulia.

Re: Request for Consumer Guide

[petronia.livejournal.com]

The Russian versions of the albums are better due to lyrics (and delivery) being generally better; this despite how I don't actually understand Russian. ^^; The original arrangement of the first LP's hits are noticeably different but not enough to impact my enjoyment of the songs either way - it's been a while but memory has it the sonic palette was more obviously 90's Eurotrance cheese in lineage. (Possibly worthwhile to mention that the producer - also the songwriter of note, including the first three singles - is an Armenian indie rocker barely a year or two older than the girls themselves, who was moonlighting in anony-trance for Moscow dance stations. And went on to remix Marilyn Manson or some such.)

I prefer Yulia because she seems have a genuinely unconventional personality for Euro-pop (if not for Russian women), but the good girl/bad girl dichotomy wouldn't work without both sides of the equation. And oddly enough it's become clear over the years that the bond and interpersonal dynamic between the two is exactly as portrayed, minus the histrionics and snogging (which in the early concerts came off as mischievious). Lena is the better singer, for what that's worth.

Actually, something about t.A.T.u.'s emotional (as well as vocal) territory is very reminiscent of CocoRosie. Should probably follow up on that thought when I have time. XD Was a great Smiths cover too, if not without its flaws.

Portuguese is the prettiest language in song, by me!

Re: Request for Consumer Guide

[koganbot]

Many thanks for this information!

Re: Request for Consumer Guide

[koganbot]

It turns out that there is at least one significant difference beyond language between Dangerous and Moving and Lyudi Invalidy, which is that, unless my ears are being even dumber than usual, the excellent "Friend Or Foe" isn't on Lyudi Invalidy in any language. Other differences of note: the "Loves Me Not" on Lyudi Invalidy has more electrobeats and fewer chords, and - surprisingly - is the worse for it. And while during the break on "Cosmos (Outer Space)" the girls murmur sweet nothings, they stay mum in the equivalent break on "Kosmos," allowing the instruments to shine through the cosmos all by their lonesome. (Will give me an excuse to put yet another version - this'll be the third - of "Kosmos"/"Cosmos" on the mixtapes I periodically send to Chuck Eddy.)

Re: Request for Consumer Guide

[koganbot]

has more electrobeats and fewer chords

Er, has the same amount of chords, but fewer POWER chords, is what I meant to say.

Re: (new) Request for Consumer Guide

[koganbot]

What would you recommend by CocoRosie? I've just looked at their Wikipedia entry and, while the phrase "new folk" makes me shiver in nonanticipation, your comparison to t.A.T.u. is intriguing. Also (from Wiki): "When Sierra was 5 years old and Bianca 3, their parents divorced. Sierra and Bianca did not get along very well growing up."

Re: (new) Request for Consumer Guide

[petronia.livejournal.com]

The indie fen consensus opinion on this side of the pond appears to be that the first CocoRosie album is a classic, the second sux, and the third is execrable. I'm not sure why - there's something extra-musical going on with the backlash but to be honest I cannot be arsed to figured out what it is, at all. ^_^; (At a guess, the fact that CocoRosie are ANNOYING HIPSTERS.) I'm with Darnielle and Europe i.e. the first album has an intriguing sonic palette but cannot find a tune with both hands and the lights on, whereas The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn contains akchul songs. They also do a lot of... uh again not sure, white feminist reclamation of Akon hits? (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=m36P8XUkDYY) I'd imagine Bianca's voice to be an acquired taste but she sounds a lot like one of my favorite Japanese singer-songwriters, luckily.

I guess the similarity with t.A.T.u. has something to do with the line where sisterhood shades into perceived (insofar as I know none of these women are actually gay) lesbianism, intersecting with the line between exploitation and empowerment - female-oriented, for lack of a more enlightening way to put it. As in, not fundamentally emotionally focussed on men, with an intensity the threatening/unhinged edge of which would have been labelled "hysteric" in a previous age. It's the teenaged hysteria that makes the first t.A.T.u. album so great, and makes the real/fake lesbianism question completely irrelevant to the listening experience.