T.A.T.U.

As the quip put it, this pair of teenage girls arrived "from Russia with love" -- complete with casual curses, shrieking climaxes, a chilly Russian rap, and a marketing gimmick that implied they were lesbians. None of these audience-baiting elements was quite enough to make up for the mousy vocals and predictable disco beats; and there's also just not quite enough on this disc to make an entire album: Of the 11 cuts, three are alternate versions, one a cover of the Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?" ("I am human and I need to be luft!"). (FRANKLIN SOULTS)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide