T.A.T.U. is the pop world’s newest limit-pusher. Its album, “200 KM/H in the Wrong Lane,” has boomed all over the world with the hit “All the Things She Said” reaching the top of the United Kingdom’s charts, and is No. 7 on MTV’s TRL. So, what is this album all about?

First, we have to get away from the apparent shock value and the accusations of lesbianism. Get over it. Either Julie Volkova and Lena Katina are or they aren’t. It should not effect the value of their music.The market of selling sex is nothing new, and T.A.T.U. has just defined another link in the long chain of limit-pushers. When people talk about and form opinions about a band, singer or group before they hear their music, the music is considered “controversial.” This sells albums. Any questions?

Now, let’s get down to business.

When I opened the liner notes and read along while listening to see what their voices are expressing, I found that I was looking and hearing the same words over and over again. In most instances of synth-pop music, repetition is catchy. In T.A.T.U.’s album, it becomes redundant. The lead track, “Not Gonna Get Us,” repeats “not gonna get us” 23 times, while the entire song has a total of 40 lines.

When the lyrics don’t repeat themselves, they just become confusing. Volkova and Katina have, after all, a Russian tongue. I guess it doesn’t take a full command of the English language to put out a hit album.

The vocals are all right if you only listen to a few tracks. If you listen to more than two, there is a distinct similarity of chirping pre-teens on the Mousecapades.

Straying from the norm, the album tries to break ground and differ from today’s pop culture. However, T.A.T.U.’s overall effort is mediocre. Being hand-picked for their looks and voice, the two Russians only can be as original as they are allowed. As with many other past groups, when the shock value fades, so will they. Let’s hope history repeats itself.