1. ZENYK - 3:08
Batiaretro
music by Victor Morozov (1-4,7,9,11-12,14-19)
Batiar-Band “Halychyna”
recorded and mixed at MD Studio, Lviv, Ukraine
cover design - Yurko Koch
produced by Victor Morozov and
Our special thanks to:
Made in Ukraine
© 2010 Victor Morozov and MO Productions
2. DOROTHA - 2:26
3. ABRAHAM - 3:32
4. SO LONG AGO - 4:04
5. GOOD SWILL AT BOMBACH’S - 2:29
6. A BALL AT BOMBACH’S - 2:17
7. BATIAR LOVE - 3:33
8. A BATIAR'S HEART - 2:59
9. DIVE BAR - 3:33
10. NO BELLS TOLL FOR ME - 3:50
11. BATIAR HEAVEN - 3:18
12. DEAR MADAM - 5:03
13. THE GATES HAVE CLOSED - 2:12
Bonus tracks:
14. PIPE - 2:52
15. GIVE’EM A KNUCKLE SANDWICH! - 2:22
16. LVIV BEER - 2:23
17. BLACK COFFEE - 3:29
18. THE LAST BAGEL - 2:49
19. LIGHT BULB - 2:17
The ”nobility” of L’viv’s outskirts, the batiars, were a rowdy mix of cheap laborers and craftsmen, petty thieves and swindlers, connected by rivers of fine beer and an unwavering love for their native city.
Their unique code of honesty, lifestyle, fashion sense, and folklore – in particular, their batiar songs - have become a true calling card of interwar L’viv.
The first thing you notice in the songs is their ironic, “tongue-in-cheek”, approach to life.
Batiar songs do not romanticize prison life or give in to schmaltzy tales of love.
And any loyalty is to L’viv and L’viv alone – any concerns about the rest of the world can be stuck right up your nose!
L’viv’s slang – colorful, sharp, and witty – acts like a time machine for future generations of L’vivites.
It’s a part of our memory and our authenticity.
In addition to original compositions, this CD also includes songs translated from Polish, allowing the listener to compare new tunes with the original melodies and texts of old L’viv.
While working on this album, its authors revealed a difference of opinion about the following question: “So why the hell are we doing this?”
Maestro M. was genuinely convinced that we were worthy of undertaking the honorable role of reviving batiar “art.”
On the other hand, Poet P. did not share such grand ambitions.
He just wanted to preserve a fading memory . . .
While the musicians, who were in the majority, said that they were ready to play here and now and that they couldn’t care less about what happened in the past or was yet to come.
And they’re probably right.
Zenyk
P.S. And those who think L’viv has no class – can just kiss us in the ass!
P.Р.S. Zenyk? Who the f… is Zenyk?!
Henryk Wars (8, 13)
and unknown artists (5-6,10)
lyrics by Andrij Panchyshyn (1-4,7,9,11-12,14,18-19)
Emanuel Schlechter (8,13)
Yurij Wynnychuk (16-17)
Viktor Neborak (15)
and unknown artists (5-6,10)
translated into Ukrainian by Yurij Wynnychuk (5-6,8)
and Andrij Panchyshyn (10,13)
string arrangements
by Yurij Duda (13)
brass arrangements
by Valentyn Leshnevskyj (10)
(led by P.Rachynskyj):
Victor Morozov - vocals, guitar
Petro Rachynskyj - accordion
Bohdan Nazar - violin
Stepan "Smola" Netrebiak - clarinet
Ivan Ohar - double bass
also:
Roman Khabal’ – tenor-sax (3)
Oleh Yarema – guitar (13)
Oleh Petryshyn – trumpet (10)
Roman Vovk – trumpet (10)
Serhij Martynov – trombone (10)
Valentyn Leshnevskyj – trombone (10)
Sasha Yushchuk – tuba (10)
Volodymyr Duda – violin (13)
Zhanna Bervecka – violin (13)
Vadym Pedorych – viola (13)
Halyna Zhuk – cello (13)
Volodymyr Veretel’nyk – cymbals (10)
recording engineer: Markian Dribniuk
assistant engineer: Oleh Dvorianyn
mastered at BeSharp Records, New York, USA
engineer: Slau Halatyn
prepress - Natalya Homanska
printing – Az-Art
Motria Onyschuk-Morozov
Mykhajlo Manuliak, Vira-Maria Panchyshyn
Yaryna & Marko Andrychyk,
Oleh Yarema, L.P., the Starukh family,
and the White Horse bar