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Amour Bohemian

by MERCH

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Two Hearts 03:40
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Marriage 04:04
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about

From the rear cover of the vinyl:

You hold in your hands the odd and exotic fruit of years of labor. At final count, somewhere around sixty-five people had their hands into bringing this music to you. That number includes the Prague FILMharmonic Orchestra, a full Latin jazz band, a few opera singers, and some of the finest psychedelic, garage, and jazz players out of Los Angeles and San Francisco. I am thankful all these folks entrusted me to not lead them off the edge of a cliff. You can know that nearly every conceivable detail was fussed over in order to give you an album that I hope will be a valued addition to your record collection. Thank you, dearest listener--fellow outsider and ne’er-do-well. Happy listening.

Joe Medina
MERCH

From some reviews:

"an auteur-driven work...a whole lot of new music is getting pressed onto vinyl these days, but little of it radiates like a nugget from the heyday of the long-playing record quite like this specimen, while still connecting as contemporary."
--The Vinyl District (-A review)

"'Amour Bohemian' is a sumptuous listen with surprises around every musical corner."
--Modern Vinyl

"Ambitious ... Consistently evolves throughout a bevy of influences ranging from golden era jazz to symphonic orchestral composition to rock ‘n’ roll."
--PopMatters

"Psychedelic, nightmarish... feels like both a cohesive album and a gargantuan, cinematic film-score."
--Substream Magazine

“In a world of protein-alternative laptop pop, MERCH’s Amour is a barbarian king’s victory feast.”
--L.A. Record


And a few advance words on MERCH's 'Amour Bohemian':

'Amour Bohemian' is a renn-rock masterpiece. Pretty much all you could want from a deep album. Well done, sir. A little bit of Lou Reed, Scott Walker, Roy Wood..hell, I even hear a tiny bit of KISS in here!

--John Dwyer, Thee Oh Sees, Castle Face Records

People just don't do shit like this anymore, which is my favorite part about it. It kind of makes me feel like I am going through old records at a garage sale on acid.

--Kevin Hill, bass, 'Amour Bohemian'

This album is a rich, rare thing. It is filled with so much texture and difference, remaining cohesive in its tapestry. In each melody and arrangement, Medina’s voice and song-body effortlessly transport us to a time and space unusual yet deeply familiar.

--Yrsa Daley-Ward, author of 'Bone', Penguin Books

Great arrangements and complex yet accessible tunes. Had a blast recording on them once I wrapped my brain around it!

--Matt Adams, The Blank Tapes, a couple of the guitars and mandolin on 'Amour Bohemian'

There are some gigs when you are more focused on tech--just part of the job. I mean it goes and flies away. Then there are others where you remember moments for a longer time. I recently went through pictures of the session for 'Amour Bohemian' to reminisce on Joe's reactions: concentration, surprise, tension and relief. 
I am very much looking forward to working with Medina again."

--Petr Pycha, Orchestra Director for 'Amour Bohemian', Prague FILMharmonic Orchestra, Adele '25', Fargo, and countless other TV and Film credits

It's a record with much to cherish and appears to be about Love and all its complications--romantic love, love of music, love of people, even love for the myths we create about ourselves. I'm not sure there is anything else quite like it right now.

--Michelle Tea, author of Black Wave, How To Grow Up: A Memoir, Mermaid In Chelsea Creek, Rent Girl, and Valencia

Amour Bohemian is an excellently produced album. 'Two Hearts' is a stand-out track that conjures a bit of mid-nineteen seventies George Harrison magic. Joe Medina has a broad vocal range and an intimate lyrical style which makes this album so compelling.

--Jenny Hoyston, Erase Errata, Vacation Eyes, Paradise Island 

'Amour Bohemian' is a coherent story about human relations with all its inherent complexity, triviality and confusion. The well-made production and addition of orchestra will make your heart sing.

-- Klemen Breznikar, Editor-In-Chief, It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine

credits

released November 3, 2017

Amour Bohemian

All songs written by Joe Medina except *

Produced by Joe Medina

Co-produced by Chris Porro, Greg Ashley, Tomas Dolas, and Andrew E. Plascencia
Mixed by Chris Porro
Mastered by Mike Wells

Don’t Wait Too Long
(Joe Medina)

Joe Medina: vocals, guitars, bass, arranger
Jimi Marks: drums
Tomas Dolas: organ
Matt Adams: mandolins
Prague FILMharmonic Orchestra: orchestra
RIchard Hieronymus: orchestral arrangement

The Artist & The Muse
(Joe Medina)

Joe Medina: vocals, electric guitar, 6 & 12 string acoustic guitars, arranger
Jimi Marks: drums
Joe Lewis: bass
Tomas Dolas: Rhodes-style electric piano
Ricky Berger: vocals, flute
Joseph Chang: cello
Charith Premawardhana: violins, viola
Richard Hieronymus: string-quartet arrangement

Two Hearts
(Joe Medina)

Joe Medina: vocals, electric guitar, nylon guitar, 12-string guitar, arranger
Jimi Marks: drums
Joe Lewis: bass
Acacia Newlon: operatic vocals
Josh Garcia: operatic vocals
Prague FILMharmonic Orchestra: orchestra
Richard Hieronymus: orchestral arrangement

Marriage
(Joe Medina)

Joe Medina: vocals, acoustic, nylon, slide, and electric guitars, recorder, arrangement
Jimi Marks: drums
Joe Lewis: bass
Tomas Dolas: Rhodes-style electric piano
Acacia Newlon: operatic vocals
Josh Garcia: operatic vocals
Prague FILMharmonic Orchestra: orchestra

The Only Love I Understand
(Joe Medina)

Joe Medina: vocals, guitar, nylon-string lead guitar, distorted orchestra effect, arrangement
Andrew E. Plascencia: distorted orchestra effect
Jimi Marks: drums
Kevin Hill: upright bass
Craig Ferguson: jazz guitar, electric lead guitar
Prague FILMharmonic Orchestra: orchestra
Richard Hieronymus: orchestral arrangement

According To The Doctors
(Joe Medina)

Joe Medina: vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, arrangement
Richard Gowen: drums
Prague FILMharmonic Orchestra: orchestra
Richard Hieronymus: orchestral arrangement

Ten Quetzales
(Joe Medina)

Joe Medina: vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic 6 and 12-string guitar, nylon guitar, arrangement
Jimi Marks: drums
Joe Lewis: bass
Matt Adams: lead electric guitar
Madison Seer: harmony vocals
Andrew E. Plascencia: harmony vocals
Prague FILMharmonic Orchestra: orchestra
Richard Hieronymus: orchestral arrangement

The Wine Will Flow
(Joe Medina)

Joe Medina: vocals, arrangement
Jimi Marks: drums
Joe Lewis: bass
The Echo Park Project: Carlo Lopez--congas, Joey de Leon--timbales, Matt Amper--Rhodes-style piano, Serafin Aquilar--trumpet, Fabian Chaves--saxophone

Pinewood & Roses
(V. Stoecklin)

Joe Medina: vocals, 12-string guitar, arrangement
Jimi Marks: drums
Joe Lewis: bass
Emily Markoe: operatic vocals
Luca Bernasconi: translation of lyrics to Italian


Prague FILMharmonic Orchestra:

Session recorded at Smecky Studio, Prague

Orchestra Manager: Petr Pycha
Engineer: Vitek Kral
Conductor: Adam Klemens
Violins: Jiři Kubita, Pavel Kutman, Radek Křižanovský, Vladimir Kučera, Jaroslav Korán, Marie Kosinová, Jitka Kokšová, Lenka Machová, Jan Nykrýn, Petr Typolt, Václav Vacek,  Miloš Vrba
Violas: Radim Sedmidubský, Karel Stadther, Zdenek Zindel
Cellos: Martin Sedlák, Richard Žemlička
Flute: Dana Hegerová
Oboe: Vratislav Vlna
Bassoon: Svatopluk Čech
Trumpets: Marek Zvvolanek, Vratislav Bartoš,  Svatopluk Zaal
Trombones: Stanislav Pěnkava, Petr Čihák
Saxophones: David Farek, Michal Kostiuk, Lubor Pokluda, Pavel Škrna

Oakland sessions recorded at The Creamery

Greg Ashley: Engineer

Los Angeles sessions recorded at Lolipop Studio

Tomas Dolas: Engineer
Andrew Plascencia: Co-Engineer

San Francisco sessions recorded at Blue Dust in Bernal Heights

Chris Porro: Engineer
“Dewey” Dilip Singh: vintage analog effects consultant

Tardon Feathered/Mr. Toad’s: tape transfers
Robert Puff: Head Transcriber
Brian Monroney: Co-Transcriber

Cover Photograph: Desiree Daniels
Orchestra Photographs: Ivan Zbiral
Art Direction: Joe Medina
Layout Design: Chris Porro
Sleeve Photograph: Desiree Daniels

An extraordinary amount of thanks goes to everyone listed above and a few more named here:

Kathy Medina, John Farrington, Matt Crowder & Keisha, Brian Richards, Paul Stimson, Guy Overfelt, Brooke Waterhouse, Bethany Schwarz, Micaiah Filkins, Liz Walsh, Courtney Kaezyk, Bev & Richard Woods, Louise Stevenson, and the mysterious Cathie

All songs registered to Joseph Michael Medina, BMI
Except
Pinewood & Roses, Morgaine Music, BMI
All rights reserved

Sassafras Records & Distro
SR-300
2017

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