Prophets (Thee) - Playgirl

Name: Thee Prophets
Album: Playgirl
Year: 1969
Style: Pop Oldies, Psychedelic, Vocal Group
Similar Bands: Herman's Hermits, Happenings, Buckinghams, Sunshine Express, The Vogues, Tom Jones, Bee Gees
"One-Word" Review: Tame neutered bubblegum vocal pop
Based Out Of: Milwaukee, WI
Label: Kapp, MCA, Universal

Cover, Record

Back, Record

Playgirl (1969)

1. Playgirl 2:05 
2. Broken Heart 2:22
3. Man Enough 2:13
4. It Isn't So Easy 2:29
5. Magic Island 2:31
6. Double Life 2:13 /
7. Some Kind-A Wonderful 2:17 (Single) (cover: Drifters)
8. Heartbreak Avenue 2:38
9. They Call Her Sorrow 3:08
10. I Pretend I'm With You 1:52
11. Kind of a Drag 2:03
12. Shame Shame 2:18 

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Carl Bonafede - Producer
• Dan Belloc - Producer
• Lew Douglas - Producer, Arranger
• Brian Lake - Organ, Vox
• Jim Anderson - Guitar, Vox
• David Leslie - Bass, Vox
• Chris Michaels - Drums
• Tex Meyer - Write-Up
• Don Brown - Write-Up
• Stan Malinowski - Cover Photo
• Milton Sincoff - Artistic Design
• Bill Bradley - Engineer
• Ed Cody - Engineer
• Ron Malo - Engineer
• Don Van Gorden - Remixing

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but they look like another run-of-the-mill late 60's pop group trying to be the next big thing. They probably won't be unusual or break out of the light male vocal ensemble that really owes more to Jack Jones and other crooners more than the Beatles or the Kinks.

Album Review: Strings and light smooth vocals perpetuate the album along, but there are a few shining moments, like "Man Enough" has some drive and big band pop energy. And single Playgirl is a bit in the a Motown swing vibe. "Magic Island" almost has a solid pop backbone, but it loses all of its appeal as it's tries to appease parents with a light lofty orchestral production. This album would be a lot better if it were a lot simpler. But it can't escape the safe zone with production half in cohorts with Tom Jones or Mitch Miller, and one foot trying for the youth appeal. The Youtube link has more songs than what are on this album, and almost every non album track is better than the songs here. It looks like Jim Anderson only wrote 2 songs on here: They Call Her Sorrow & It Isn't So Easy...the rest are covers. Apparently, even the band was unhappy with this album, as their musical tendencies were more toward Hendrix, Cream, Vanilla Fudge, not bubblegum pop, but the record company had their name & ownership, and ran it into the ground.

Stand Out Track: Man Enough

Links:

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