By Jonathan Takiff

Philly’s adopted son Jim Boggia is another first-rate audio architect, as you’ll hear on his new "Safe in Sound" album, coming out on Tuesday (May 3), and with his CD release party/concert the next night (May 4) at World Cafe Live.

Known for his encyclopedic knowledge and appreciation of music, Boggia likes to recall, "I’ve been told I was singing melodies before I started speaking words, and I started playing the guitar when I was 5. I have no conception of a life before music."

A fine storyteller, Boggia has slightly raspy, earnest vocals and a refined tune sense that evolve the story of Weather Underground fugitive Bernadine Dohrn into a great, rocking anthem ("Underground"), and he makes the lushly arranged "Where’s the Party?" an anti-drug morality play you won’t soon forget.

His auditory powers heightened by partial blindness, Boggia, with producer Julian Coryell, layers the album with lush instrumental flourishes, intriguing sound bites and naturalistic found sounds - plus an especially great surprise at album’s end.

You’ll surely detect his deep appreciation of Paul McCartney on the likes of "Let Me Believe (Evan’s Lament)" a co-write with the semi-legendary McCartney emulator Emmitt Rhodes.

And Boggia’s admiration for Elvis Costello comes to the fore on "Final Word" and "Made Me So Happy," the latter featuring a vocal assist by friend/fan Jill Soubule.

But I’m equally taken with songs that are undeniably Original House of Boggia, especially the glorious "Once," which deserves to be a rock radio staple.

Jim Boggia album release party, World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, $15 and $44 (with buffet). 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com.