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On 02/05/2003 eamonn said: "Smog And Tatu"

(Smog) becuase I saw them in Whelans last night. Tatu because I was listening to them later (and reading about them on I Love Music today).

(Smog) was very good, most of it was Supper and a third+ was back catalogue (Dress Sexy, Ex-con etc.). the band were pretty tight even though it was the first night of the tour. I think it's the same woman as sings on the album and that really helps for songs such as Butterflies, Truth Serum etc. I think 15/16 songs in total. Bill Callahan didn't say much more than thanks until he asked for some requests. It is sort of a full circle since this is where he first played in ireland, then at Vicar St, then TBMC. And upstairs wasn't open, so as a crowd puller he is slipping. Pity since the new album is much better than Rain On Lens.

smog4

So Tatu, this is the most infectious pop (or eurotrance or Linkin Park trance pop or whatever) I've heard in a good while. The production may not be super brilliant (it will sound bad in a few years perhaps?) but the vocals are just great (partly it's the accent and pace that is giving them that urgency/excitement/poignancy). I had previously heard some longer dance versions of the Russian originals and they didn't really catch me. I haven't listened to the album in full and it'll prob can't be all that good. But the other aspects of Tatu are depressing/saddening - the bullshit teen lesbo publicity angle, the manager (who controls everything they do/say/wear, who boasted how he created them with underage sex as a selling point), the fact that they have no songwriting credits on the album (I think). What will happen when the get spat out by the big pop machine?