Rock/pop

Usually, the best you can hope for when a songwriter has a kid is that the attendant sleep deprivation will fuel some bizarre visions and he'll ban the baby from sapping up his lyrics. On Ike's second self-released CD, In Real Life, two-time dad John Faye (pictured, third from left) runs headfirst into the parent trap and defies the odds: "Into Philadelphia" is a sweet little lullaby disguised as a hugely catchy rocker. It's not a fluke — just the strongest proof yet of Faye's skills. His voice has never sounded better than on the lovely "Nothing's Gonna Come Between Us," and the poppy "Cinderella Spark" should heat up live in the hands of one of the town's tightest bands. Twelve bucks gets you into the gig and sends you home with a disc that sticks after one listen and still stands up after a dozen.

Sat., Sept. 24, 9 p.m., $12, with Omnisoul, L.P., Malone & McWilliams and The Caulfields, Grape Street Pub, 4100 Main St., 215-483-7084, www.grapestreet.com.