Galinhas Polacas

Galinhas Polacas, or Polish Chickens, are the last band you’d expect to find in Bahia, Brazil.

Bahia is the home of axé, a fusion of Afro-Brazilian and Caribbean music that lends itself to beachy, booty-shaking dance routines. Belvis and Edouard, the duo behind Galinhas Polacas, make weird noise punk that Frank Zappa would be proud of, and wear slaughterhouse-friendly aprons in their press shots.

But it gets even more delightfully weird. Belvis and Edouard’s day job (or other night job?) is playing in yet another band, called Movido a Alcool (“Alcohol Fueled”). M.A. specializes in playing rock and roll versions of Brega — romantic songs of heartbreak, loneliness, and alcoholism that have been mocked as the height of tackiness basically since the genre was invented in the 1930s. These dudes truly embrace the low-brow, and are ennobled by it.

Considering their roots in deep re-appropriation and irony (or straight cheesiness), their foray into dark noise electro seems almost pedestrian. Luckily the sound is still pretty nuts. Influenced by Tropicalia experimental rockers like Raul Seixas and Tom Ze, the duo have flipped their feelings: from heartbreak to heartburn. ”Bozo Nao Tem Cartilagem” (“Bozo Has No Cartilage”) is a metal-influenced electro garage-rock fest, with Edourdo chanting and then screaming lyrics about clowns putting on clown make-up, and other terrifying clown things. ”Sua Mae E Homem” (“Your Mom is a Man”) is more melodic and percussive, and less creepy than high-larious.

Rolling together the psychedelia of prog rock, the energy of punk, and the complete tackiness of their native brega, Galinha Polaca make us smile. After we’ve grimaced.

See for yourself! - By Suyeon Kim August 29, 2011

Precise rhythm, sinthesizers, samples, analog drum-machines, acidity, well-used compasses, shows full of improvisation and guitars with a strong punk rock pitch. This is the sound of Galinhas Polacas (Polish Chicken), a duo from the brazilian northeast, more precisely Salvador, Bahia.

Formed early this year by two old friends, Eduardo ( drums, vocals) and Belvis (guitars, programming, samples, vocals), they've already earned large repercussion throughout indie festivals. Besides the current project, they were the founders of cheesy-rock band known as Movidos à Álcool (Fueled by Alcohol). However, under this moniker, they're coming up with a more sour, ironic and indigestible sound.

The officially recorded repertoire is now up to three songs: Parabéns (Happy Birthday), O Bozo Não Tem Cartilagem (The Bozo Doesn't Hae Cartilage) and Sua Mãe é Homem? (Is Your Mother a Man?). The lyrics are short, objective and satirical, going through different themes such as expectation turned into love disenchantment (Parabéns) and mocking criticism towards the myth of a famous TV clown and kid-show personality in Brazil using drugs(O Bozo Não Tem Cartilagem). It's a large mix of distinct influences ranging from The White Stripes, Neil Young, Sonic Youth and Brazil's own Cidadão Instigado and Arnaldo Baptista. Even great names of the humor punk rock scene like Joelho de Porco and all time favorite multi-faceted Tom Zé are somewhat present in the duo's work. - Nilo Ayer, Brazilian Pop Music Examiner October 30, 2011 (This piece was written by Virginia Ambrus,