Bigger Than Elvis

The Prophets are three-fifths of Singapore's much worshipped Ocean Band (also on CDBaby) and this is their début record, put together in the past few months with an eye on writing songs that could get a pub going. In order to achieve this, The Prophets went in for a "total immersion" approach to making music, and the conditions prevailing in bars Friday evenings were accurately recreated in the living room where most of the "work" was done. The Prophets then pushed the "total immersion" theory further by going on a liquid diet as recommended by leading doctors and now they have this album on their hands. This record - Bigger Than Elvis - is full of all the things that have pushed the band's pleasure buttons over the years. So there are Stewart Copeland grooves, Who-like bashing about, Exile on Main Street boogies, Blondie-pop, 80s synths, late night beer fuelled chanting and any number of bad jokes, sometimes accompanied by sitars and accordions. All the songs were written by all the Prophets, practically eyeball-to-eyeball and, in a few instances, were completed during the process of recording. The Prophets are Uwe Vogel on all manner of keyboard instruments, Angshu Chatterjee playing guitars and the sitar and Sammy Arvis on the drums and on acoustic guitar. All of them sing on this record. Additional musicians include Jonathan Kang, Bill Mitchie and Nicolas Rastoul (bass guitars), Ted Fordney (bass guitar and singing), Jeanne-Marie Française (singing), Dave Boden (guitars), Lena Vogel (saxophone), and Sidd of Sidd & His Self-Esteem as the, um, narrator. The drums were recorded by Aaron Lim at Insound Studios. This album is mastered by Nicolas Rastoul of Rain Song Productions.