Volcano

Things often begin in unexpected places. For Temples singer/guitarist James Bagshaw, the thing was the catalyst for a new album, and the place was Japan, at the bottom of Mount Fuji to be exact. Bagshaw and his band had just finished a festival appearance and suddenly felt inclined to write what later became “Oh the Savior,” a precise, punchy, psych-pop tune woven with 1960s British folk. After that, the British rockers canceled all remaining tour plans, flew back home and created Volcano, an album self-written and -produced by the four-piece that further proves their pop abilities. Comparisons to Tame Impala are hard to ignore, particularly with tunes like “How Would You Like to Go,” a pop song dipped in haze with reverb-eclipsed vocals, but Temples lean more toward classic rock arrangements. Songs like “I Wanna Be Your Mirror” and “Mystery of Pop” start with a nod toward earlier British rock before diving into a modern psychedelic-pop groove. Bottom line: It’s good.