It’s always a minor miracle when an artist you figured had reached his top speed cranks it up to another level. So often when listening to any singer/songwriter with 7 solo albums behind him, like Chuck Prophet, you know the best is not yet to come. It’s probably somewhere in the distance of your rearview mirror. Happily, this is the reverse with Prophet. He’s on a road to bigger and better sounds with each release, and Age of Miracles may be his best yet.

Prophet blends styles with an effortless ease, pulling from a big grab bag of country, R&B, hip-hop, and blues and evoking Leonard Cohen as if produced by Beck. Not everything always works well together, but stellar standout tracks like “Just to See You Smile,” “Pin a Rose on Me” and the title track are better than the sum of their parts. And Age of Miracles really shines when Chuck’s strong timbre is tempered by female backing vocals.

Overall, this is a solid release from a seasoned veteran who’s aging well. Prophet has an uncanny knack for adding just enough of that new car smell. Hitch a ride with this prophet down his new road. The trip’s just getting interesting.