Lynagh’s was launch pad for cinematic-style singer

There’s a song on Chuck Prophet’s new album, Age of Miracles, called West Memphis Moon that tells you all you need to know about how effortlessly the San Francisco songsmith blends story and style.

The lyrics outline a murder mystery, the tale of a self-described “walking razor blade” detailed in misty shades of black and white. But the accompanying sounds couldn’t be more colorful: hand claps, vintage keyboard orchestration and washes of wah-wah guitar. Suddenly the song’s sense of fleeting menace is big enough to fill a movie screen.

“Actually, I cast a song like a movie,” Prophet said by phone last week. “Every one is different. I work out an arrangement more than most rock guys. But I also like to think I keep my ears open for any kind of strange collisions or accidents that might happen. I like to be well-prepared but remain willing to adapt and improvise. A song, to me, is a way of getting behind an idea and pushing it forward.”

Lexington has been lucky enough to watch Prophet’s musical movies unfold with a series of performances that began at the now-defunct Lynagh’s after the release of 2000’s The Hurting Business. He returns to town Thursday.

Prophet’s early solo records took directions he never considered. Literally. They were released mostly through overseas labels, which meant he performed more in Europe. The Hurting Business increased his stateside notoriety as well as domestic distribution for his music. Lexington soon became one the first touring destinations to champion Prophet’s earthy mix of twang, pop and cinematic-style rock ‘n’ roll.

“Around the time of The Hurting Business, I got a manager,” Prophet said. “We decided it would be a good idea to get a booking agent and a van. That’s when places like Lynagh’s became early anchors for us.”

Popularity for Prophet’s music has mounted since then. The breezy pop single Summertime Thing became a surprise radio hit in 2002. Tours with Lucinda Williams and, more recently, the Old 97s followed. And in June, a version of the title track to his album No Other Love was released by, of all bands, Heart.

“Sometimes I still have a low-level anxiety about where the next song is coming from,” he said. “But I feel more committed to what we’re doing now more than ever. I feel I’m just getting started.”