. TATU...lala lalalaI am sorry for the fans, but I am going to have to rip them to shreds.... ok, they are young and good looking, playing a really, I mean really catchy track, besides they are Russian dykes... it is good both for Russia's not very flattering clichés and the 'simple and natural' representation of lesbians on the screen, right? WRONG! THIS IS CLICHE! The whole thing is. They are making money on the stereotypes they describe without challenging them. I mean, check out the critics, they all sound like the cold war was still going on(I did write this before the theater "take a deep breath"party) and they kill their dykes in Russia.... besides, what it does is feeding the patriarchal hunger for the sight of lesbian sex (fantasizing the rest seems to be enough for these 'open-minded' people who don't lose one detail of the whole scene). So here we are, the perfect combination: this sell s WELL both on the 'hetero' and 'dyke' market. Target reached on both flocks. Musically speaking, it feels like chewing a tea bag. I mean all the bands in the same easy pop branch are more interesting than what they do. The best example coming to my mind is Blanka, also appearing on the Lilja 4ever soundtrack. I mean, it's a bit easy too, but so much more gutty on the vocals and a universe-wide more powerful. Most important thing: it sounds fun and sincere!
The Faint : Danse Macabre (Soul Creek)
Now, for those of you who missed them live in Oslo and across Europe in November because you were too busy Christmas shopping -or whatever your lousy excuse was. For those of you who didn't read about them either in the good music zines or in the Ovary Action December issue, here is your third chance to encounter THE incredible FAINT. Keyboards and samples to complete the basic rock line-up and bring back to life the best taste of early 80s electropoppunk, adding to it 20 years of musical stories. Whether you are nostalgic or not, if you were a new-waver or a A-ha fan (I know you could be both, I'm only teasing your teenage pride here), you're gonna love this band!
Too Many DJs: As Heard on Radio Soulwax, Pt. 2 (PIAS)
Here is the jewel of last year (last decade, even!) compilation... actually one of the very best mix compilations I've ever heard. An excellent tribute to some of the most influential songs (ok, we can limit to sound for some... I got a bit carried away here) of the past 30 years. Think of your all-time favourites, well, they're on it (see brakets above), crossovergenreandgender. Simple and pure love for popular music, and an amazing blind test game, check it out!