Soundadvice

Get Out!

Listening to Yoni Wolf's satirically playful lyrics on record makes you wonder how he can pull it off in a live setting without cracking up. The fact that he does so could be attributed to the backing music — a clinical mix of hip-hop and indie-pop — that acts as the straight man to Wolf's witty asides. As rhythmically engaging as they are lyrically expansive, Why?'s disparate parts come together like a disjointed jigsaw puzzle — they fit, even when they're not supposed to.

—Kevin Pearson

Wed., Sept. 17, 8 p.m., $12, with Mount Erie, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., r5productions.com.

You don't have to be newly divorced to appreciate Don't Do Anything, Sam Phillips' first album without T Bone Burnett since her mid-'80s Christian-pop phase. But jagged little koans like "No Explanations" (all strum and no la-la) and "Flowers Up" (all la-la, no strum) mean a little more if your heart's still pretty sore.

—M.J. Fine

Tue., Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m., $26-$40, with Ryan and Paul Cobb, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

Mixing Gram Parsons' late-'60s country aesthetics with sunny West Coast psych-pop ideals, Beachwood Sparks produces an idiosyncratic interpretation of cosmic-country on the handful of records they released earlier this decade. Quiet since 2003, the band is putting on only a handful of shows on the back of a recent performance at Sub Pop's 20th anniversary festival.

—Kevin Pearson

Thu., Sept. 11, 9 p.m., $15, with The Willowz and Sera Cahoone, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684, johnnybrendas.com.

JAMES

The last time James toured America — back in 1997 — they had to cancel several dates when frontman Tim Booth injured himself while dancing. Yes, dancing. A whirling dervish onstage, Booth matches manic movements with his enigmatic vocal styling, adding a stadium-size grandeur to the group's folk-rock songs. Back after a six-year hiatus, the band — which formed in 1982 and scored minor hits with "Sit Down" and "Laid" — sounds just as good as it did during its midcareer heyday.

—Kevin Pearson

Tue., Sept. 16, 7 p.m., $20-$22 with Unkle Bob, the Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-LIVE, thetroc.com.

Complete album concerts are great. And, start to finish, Liquid Swords is an unqualified masterpiece. (See A.D. Amorosi's interview with The Genius on p. 53.)

—Jesse Delaney

Thu., Sept. 11, 9 p.m., $20, Burke, Viro the Virus and DJ Akshun, the Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-LIVE, thetroc.com.

This intimate shindig — at Ceili Group's natural home, The Irish Center — is sized to encourage participation, not just passive viewing of its international superstars like Tim Britton, Kieran Jordan and Brendan Mulvihill. The singers' circle on Thursday is especially anticipated with Rosaleen McGill proving that tradition appeals to all ages.

—Mary Armstrong

Thu.-Sat., Sept. 11-13, $35 for all three days (individual tickets available), Commodore Barry Club, 6815 Emlen St., 215-849-8899, philadelphiaceiligroup.org.