fan introduction

So you're interested in t.A.T.u, but don't know where to start? I have written this little guide to getting started with t.A.T.u. and their music. Hopefully I will convince you to listen to them in this short space, but if I don't, oh well. :P

I have alwasy been an avid fan of languages, so I have no problem listening to lyrics I don't understand. If you are someone who doesn't like listening to words that have no meaning to you, I am about to try and convince you to give foreign music, particularly t.A.T.u.'s Russian music. In my opinion, their Russian music is better than their English music, so I will reccommend a lot of Russian songs to listen to. Now, let us begin!

The first song anyone interested in t.A.T.u. should listen to is "Ya Soshla S Uma", the Russian version of "All the Things She Said". This song made t.A.T.u. a hit, and of course, should be listened to by any up and coming fan. The song is emotional and fairly intense, making for a great piece. It's one of my favorite t.A.T.u. tracks ever, and is the most listened to track by the girls at last.fm. It was their first single, and really showcases the emotion the girls put into their work. Another very emotional song is "Zachem Ya", the Russian version of "Stars". Both Russian and English versions are very emotional and wonderfully sung. Lena has some great vocals on her, and Yulia provides the edgy flare that is needed.

Anyone interested in the girls should listen chronologically, from beginning to most recent. The album "200 po Vstrechnoi" is the first full release from t.A.T.u. and features some awesome tracks. Without this album, there would be no t.A.T.u., so it deserves to be listened to. From emotional ballads like "30 minut", to upbeat tracks like "Nas Ne Dagoniat", another one of their big hits, this album is simply wonderful. I often find myself jamming out to it, and realizing the girls were so young when they recorded it. Another track from the album I love is "Ya tvoya ne pervaya", the Russian version of "Show Me Love". It's an intense song in both English and Russian, but I feel the Russian version gives off a little more energy. In general, the "200 po Vstrechnoi" album is a must have. The producing and writing by Elena Kiper and Ivan Shapovalov is a great.

The next album released by t.A.T.u. was their English debut, "200 km/h in the Wrong Lane". I bought this a while after it came out, and I love it. It is what got me into the previously mentioned Russian songs. The album features two Russian tracks, "Ya Soshla S Uma" and "Nas Ne Dagoniat", but of which are great. It's a nice mix to have English and Russian on one CD. One of my favorite trakcs on the CD is the Morissey cover, "How Soon is Now?" Even though it's a cover, the girls do a great job making it their own. "Clowns" is another good one, but, of course, I prefer the Russian version, "Klouny". The girls' pronunciation is pretty good on this album, but I find it more intense to listen to t.A.T.u. singing in their native tongue. That's just my personal preference.

After two singles, the girls released their "REMIXES" album in 2004. Remixes are great, and some awesome people have made incredible remixes of t.A.T.u. songs, but this album features one truly amazing song: Prostie Dvizheniya! This is a really great song. It's harder in beat and rhythm, and is really awesome to rock out to. The album also features some HarDrum remixes, which are fabulous. Only get the CD if you love remixes of the same song over and over, considering seven of the tracks are "All the Things She Said". Fans have also been known to make amazing remixes, so if you look around internet forums and fansites, you are bound to find some kick ass remixes of t.A.T.u. songs.

When "All About Us" came out, it instantly shot up to be my "Most Played" on my iPod. I must have listened to that song 10 times in a row every day. I *loved* it. I still love it, actually. Its intense beats and emotional lyrics are a perfect match. The song was a hit all over Europe, and it's obvious why. Lena does some amazing vocal work on this track and really shows off her range. "All About Us" is on the Russian and English CDs, "Lyudi Invalidi" and "Dangerous and Moving". I was really excited when the song came out, and I think it's classic t.A.T.u.

"Dangerous and Moving" and "Lyudi Invalidi" are pretty similar, and I can't decide which I like more. There are tracks on "Dangerous and Moving" I don't really like, and the same goes for "Lyudi Invalidi". Wow: songs I don't like? Yes! Amazing! I don't particularly like the title track of "Dangerous and Moving". The lyrics are not that amazing, and the vocals are a little stiff. "Gomenasai" and "Craving" are two others I'm not that fond of. On "Lyudi Invalidi", there is really only one I don't like: "Vsja Moja Lubiv". I'm more of an upbeat person, and the song just doesn't do it for me. But the rest of "Lyudi Invalidi" is absolutely amazing. "Novaya Model" is wonderful and comes in as my second favorite song on the album, but "Obezyanka Nol" takes the cake. It is so emotional and intense for a slow song. It's brilliant. Another brilliant one is "Chto Ne Hvataet". Great lyrics, vocals, and music. Beautifully done. I'm happy I have both of the albums, but "Lyudi Invalidi" just turns me on a little more. That's just my language-love talking, though. Finally, there is the "Best" CD. If you want the general greatest hits t.A.T.u. has had, definitely get the album. It features some great music, and I would definitely reccommend it if you are just starting out listening to t.A.T.u. - it will give you old and new in one purchase.

I hope I have convinced you with my rambling to listen to some t.A.T.u. tracks. Hopefully you will like them!

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