Written by Kit Burns
Babayaga Ojo/Sila
Never heard of Babayaga Ojo? Don’t worry about it; until Sila, this punk band from Poland never appeared on my radar screens. And if there’s a group that can actually rekindle my once profound love for punk, leave it to these high-speed, boot-attired rockers from Poland of all places.
I am completely charmed by the innocence of Sila. No, I don’t mean innocence in the childlike way. But this is a punk record which doesn’t seem to acknowledge that punk actually became mainstream in the early ’90s; the commercial compromises that nearly destroyed the genre are not apparent here. What do we get instead? No-nonsense punk in its purest form. “Zalogowcy” has an escalating intro reminiscent of the Dead Kennedys’ “Holiday in Cambodia” while “Co wy robicie!?” recalls the feminine angst of X-Ray Spex. Yes, it’s old-school and will kick you in the balls like hard liquor.
