Since 2005 was the year where everyone was making a comeback (Fiona
Apple, Mariah, Madonna, Sheryl Crow, to name a few), why not mark the return of
t.A.T.u, a media sensation circa 2002? The image of two Russian lesbian school
girls served them well, as “200 km/h in the Wrong Lane” sold six million copies
and turned Julia and Lena into superstars. However, this was also the very same
problem that led the girls to dump their old manager, especially when the world
took notice that Julia had a child, so it not only ruined their bread-winning
image, but it also signaled that the girls were growing up. And who likes two
regular grown-up girls facing adult responsibilities? Certainly not this group,
so they decided to somewhat hold on to the bi-curiosity that was woven into
their debut, while expanding their sound to incorporate less Eurotrash, more
precise English, and less of the cold dance-pop and more warm ballads dedicated
to companionship. Julia and Lena, or rather their production team, make the
right moves, hiring Sting to play bass and Richard Carpenter to supply a string
arrangement for the lovely “Gomenasai”. It’s telling that the ballads wind up
as the highlights here, because the dance tracks are plain and shallow, even
more so than their last record. This, is turn, makes this whole enterprise less
enjoyable than that album, especially when compounded with the girls’
determination to have absolutely no fun what-so-ever. The problem with an album
like “Dangerous and Moving”, being neither dangerous nor moving in any sense,
is that it too heavily relies on drama, nowhere more evident than in the first
single “All About Us”, which crashes in with thudding eighth notes and
deliberately strained vocal delivery with each passing second. No matter how
dramatic the surface, underneath it all are just two cute girls who have
improved voices (not being altered by processors helps) but also take their
talents for granted, pushing higher and higher as the record wears on—this
comes into sharp relief in “Sacrifice”, when it’s decided that the girls simply
cannot sing at that register anymore. “Dangerous and Moving” would like you to
believe that t.A.T.u is an important, ambitious band that is at the head of
Europop, but it often tires rather than inspires. Maybe if they would’ve just
stuck with the gimmick, or better yet, just stuck with being faceless and
happily empty dance artists, then maybe they could’ve gotten away with it. But
since this album is a bold testament to the girls’ talents and their producers’
studio magic, it winds up as a middle-brow mix of derivative schmaltz and,
every once in a while, a couple good songs.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Intro 2.
All About Us 3. Cosmos (Outer Space)
4. Loves
Me Not 5. Friend or Foe 6. Gomenasai
7. Craving 8.
Sacrifice 9. We Shout
10. Perfect Enemy 11. Obez’yanka Nol 12.
Dangerous and Moving
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