NEW ALBUMS

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CHUCK PROPHET

Temple Beautiful

YepRoc

8/10

Spirited homage to the City by the Bay; Flamin’ Groovie Roy pitches in.

After dabbling in everything from swamp-pop to hip-hop – not to mention his verbatim London Calling tour – renaissance-rocker Prophet literally brings it all back home on Temple Beautiful, a dozen beautifully melodic, razor-sharp guitar-pop elegies to his ’Frisco roots. Mythological in scope, soulful in execution – tracking everything from the city’s vaunted musical history to baseball star Willie Mays and madman/murderer Jim Jones, it’s a feast of contextual songwriting and sizzling guitar. The piercing “Castro Halloween” and the NY Dolls-style rave-up title cut jump out first, but the whole lot is first rate.

LUKE TORN