Little Electric Chicken Heart
Ana Frango Elétrico
2019
Why This Album Matters
Little Electric Chicken Heart, Ana Frango Elétrico's second album, released in 2019, established itself as a landmark in contemporary MPB due to its audacious and singular fusion of styles. The Rio-born artist weaves a sonic tapestry that encompasses baroque pop, psychedelic pop, jazz pop, and samba jazz, creating an aesthetic that evokes the nostalgia and sounds of the 1960s and 1970s, with echoes of masters like Quincy Jones and Burt Bacharach. The album not only honours these influences, but re-imagines them through a fresh and experimental lens. The enigmatic title, 'Little Electric Chicken Heart', translates the idea of a 'minute parallelism': the simultaneity of a heart both small and grand, inconsequential and electric, reflecting a Brazilian sensibility when thinking in English. This duality permeates the work, which, although it harks back to past times with its 'chamber pop' and 'jazz ballad' atmosphere, maintains a contemporary and idiosyncratic language. It is an invitation to a sensory experience, where layers of guitars, brass, and voices intentionally overlap inexactly, revealing an artist who seeks the unusual in the familiar.
Context
Following the release of her debut album, Mormaço Queima, Ana Frango Elétrico embarked on a journey of research and experimentation for the conception of Little Electric Chicken Heart. Her intention was to delve into new sounds and influences, aiming to build an atmosphere that would awaken affectionate memories and a sense of nostalgia in the listener. The idea for the title 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' emerged in a peculiar way, during a barbecue with friends, upon observing a chicken heart cooking. This unpretentious image, imbued with symbolism, became the catalyst for exploring themes such as love and profound feelings. The cover, developed by Caio Paiva, opted for an intimate close-up of Ana, reinforcing the cinematic and personal feeling the artist wished to convey, even though the English title was absent, evidencing a Brazilian way of thinking about the foreign language.
Recording
The musical production of Little Electric Chicken Heart was a collaborative effort, led by Ana Frango Elétrico herself in partnership with Martin Scian, which ensured the authenticity of the artistic vision. The brass arrangements, a crucial element for the album's rich, 1970s-inspired sound, were handled by Antonio Neves, contributing to the expansive sound and nostalgic ambience. The recording sessions spanned different locations, including Estúdio Verde and Estúdio Barco, allowing for a diversity of textures and sonic environments. The project also benefited from the participation of a constellation of talents from the Brazilian music scene, such as Guilherme Lirio, Dora Morelenbaum, and Tim Bernardes, whose contributions enriched the instrumentation and vocals, forging the album's unique sonic identity.
Songs
The nine tracks of Little Electric Chicken Heart present a lyrical and instrumental tapestry that defies the obvious. The album opens with "Saudade", a piece that strongly resonates with Brazilian sensibility, beginning with an engaging piano solo before transforming into a warm arrangement, punctuated by delicate jazz horns and Ana's subtle vocal delivery. Meanwhile, "Promessas e Previsões", the only track not composed by Ana, but by Chico França, stands out as a twilight 'groove' that builds to absorbing peaks, addressing themes of nostalgia and sweet memories, also explored in its music video in collaboration with Paula Gaitán. Other highlights include the effervescent "Chocolate", acclaimed as an anthem in live performances and praised for its vocal freedom and musical conception, as well as exploring love and "small feelings that are quite large". The track "Se No Cinema" captivates with its peculiar charm and catchy melodies, which at times metamorphose into a carnival spirit. Ana's lyrical approach often leans towards constructive 'nonsense', where words serve more as a rhythmic and melodic complement than for their literal meaning, creating a particular universe that invites the listener to immerse themselves in the artist's mind.
Legacy
Little Electric Chicken Heart quickly solidified its reputation as a gem of contemporary Brazilian music, receiving critical acclaim both nationally and internationally. The album was recognised by the São Paulo Association of Art Critics (APCA) as one of the 25 best Brazilian albums of the second half of 2019. Its international repercussions were notable, culminating in an 8 out of 10 rating from the influential American music critic Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop, who described it as an "authentically vintage fusion of chamber pop, rock, samba and jazz". In 2020, Ana Frango Elétrico's work was celebrated with nominations for important awards, including "Album of the Year" at the Multishow Brazilian Music Awards and, even more significantly, a Latin Grammy nomination in the "Best Portuguese Language Rock or Alternative Album" category. This Latin Grammy nomination underscored the album's ability to transcend genre barriers, blending references from MPB, Tropicália, indie rock, punk, and pop into a cohesive and distinct style. Since its release, demand for physical copies of the album has grown exponentially, making it a collector's item and cementing its status as a future classic of Brazilian music.
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Dora Morelenbaum
Tim Bernardes
Antonio Neves
Vovô Bebê
Santiago Perlingeiro
Ana Frango Elétrico
Martin Scian
Dora Morelenbaum, Gil Sant'anna, Guilherme Lirio, João Caetano Soares, Juliana Thiré, Laura Lavieri, Raquel Dimantas, Thomás Duarte, Tuca, Victor Conduru, Vovô Bebê
Marcelo Cebukin
Guilherme Lirio, Vovô Bebê
Gabriel Lodo
Thomás Duarte
Antonio Neves, Guilherme Lirio
Ana Frango Elétrico, Guilherme Lirio
Antonio Neves, Martin Scian
Guilherme Lirio
Marcelo Cebukin
Ana Frango Elétrico
Guilherme Lirio
Guilherme Lirio
Tim Bernardes, Vovô Bebê
Marcelo Costa
Antonio Neves
João Caetano Soares
Barbara Tavares, Raquel Dimantas
Alberto Continentino
Marcelo Cebukin
Thomás Duarte
Antonio Neves
Antonio Neves, Eduardo Santana
Angelo Wolf, Gui Jesus Toledo, Kayan Guter, Martin Scian, Pedro Dias Carneiro, Sarah Abdala
Ricardo Richaid
Caio Paiva
Caio Paiva
Hick Duarte
Podcasts
In this episode of The Album Club, Ben is hosting and we’re discussing “Little Electric Chicken Heart” by Ana Frango Elétrico. Our talking points this week include water fights with electric chickens, the TV show set to the theme of Tem Certeza? and making a meal to the sounds of this delightful album. Also this week, we discuss the When We Were Young Festival and Will talks about the spice girls
bropical · guga azevedo
ana frango elétrico e little electric chicken heart / acabô carnaval / fevereiro bombando nos lançamentos/ siga o bropical no soundcloud / apple / spotify insta: @bropicalfm
Videos
Ana Frango Elétrico: Revelação Do Ano Com Little Electric Chicken Heart | ALBUM REVIEW
Som de Peso
Ana Frango Elétrico - Little Electric Chicken Heart ALBUM REVIEW
Legal Records
Ana Frango Elétrico - Little Electric Chicken Heart ALBUM REVIEW
theneedledrop
Ana Frango Elétrico - Little Electric Chicken Heart - ALBUM REVIEW
NotRealMusic
Books
Analyses
Little Electric Chicken Heart – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Resenha: Ana Frango Elétrico - Little Electric Chicken Heart
musicontherun.net
A produção não parou e rapidamente veio o segundo álbum neste ano, chamado "Little Electric Chicken Heart", disponível em todas as plataformas digitais. O álbum é uma mistura de gênero, cores e sabores, algo que, feito de maneira organizada, acaba sendo um trunfo.
Ana Frango Elétrico: Little Electric Chicken Heart com um pop torto que ...
cantinhododisco.com.br
Se você gosta de canções que brincam com forma, humor e afeto sem perder o ponto do pop, Little Electric Chicken Heart é parada obrigatória. Ele conversa com prateleiras que vão de Gal Costa a Stereolab, de Caetano a indie de bolso, e se encaixa com facilidade em salas pequenas sem perder presença.
Ana Frango Elétrico e seu estonteante Little Eletric Chicken Heart, um ...
teoriacultural.com.br
Ana entrega uma musicalidade espontânea e original em seu segundo trabalho 'Little Electric Chicken Heart'. Apesar do título em inglês, as canções são todas cantadas em português, o que traz a obra ainda mais para perto do calor e alvoroço brasileiro. O álbum foi muito bem produzido e arranjado.
Crítica | Ana Frango Elétrico: "Little Electric Chicken Heart" - Música ...
musicainstantanea.com.br
Palavra e melodia, sentimento e desconstrução. Em Little Electric Chicken Heart (2019, Risco), segundo e mais recente álbum de estúdio de Ana Frango Elétrico, você pode esperar de tudo, menos pelo óbvio.
Discogs
Little Electric Chicken Heart – Discogs
discogs.com