Chuck Prophet is by no means new to the music scene, and his 12th album (holy shit!) proves his musical prowess in both songwriting and lyrical maturity. Temple Beautiful finds Chuck writing some of his best material, all paying homage to San Francisco. Chuck has never written a bad record, but on this release he really shows off his musical chops. Each song tells an intriguing story linked to San Francisco, delivered in a rock and roll style that he makes his own. The first three tracks start off in a big way, all upbeat and peppered with handclaps and catchy sing-alongs. “Museum Of Broken Hearts” slows things down with some nice guitar work and the groovy addition of strings, giving it an atmospheric and ultimately sad feel. Do not fear! Chuck builds things back up slowly with “Willie Mays is Up at Bat,” “The Left Hand and the Right Hand,” and then the keen little back and forth number “Little Girl, Little Boy” – again with all that damn catchy shit. The narratives and emotion that Chuck pours into his music makes for an interesting listen. Coupled with a raw and gritty style, Chuck gives listeners a great record. (Yep Roc Records, yeproc.com) Scott Wolfe