Music

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Jukebox the Ghost Think of Jukebox the Ghost as the second coming of A-Ha, if the latter had an interest in both postmodern philosophy and all-night dance parties. The Brooklyn trio is an exuberant bunch, a group for whom it makes perfect sense to pair heavy topics with light, syncopated melodies. “We like talking about life and emotion and deeper things,” vocalist and keyboardist Ben Thornewill explains, “but we also want to be doing pop music, music people will enjoy listening to and enjoy dancing to.”

Thornewill says his band’s previous album, Safe Travels, was written in a time of emotional turmoil; topics like mortality and the supernatural are paired with sweeping orchestral arrangements. The band’s most recent self-titled album is more radio-friendly, moving from feel-good anthemic tracks like “Girl” and “Hollywood” to “Undeniable You,” a heartwrenching solo piece that has Thornewill railing with-and against-his own voice, looping his vocals in the live arrangement. But what makes this power-pop group pop is not it’s music’s crafted aspect, but its ability to draw inspiration from and riff off its surroundings. Three days into its latest tour, the band had already swapped covers with opening act Twin Forks. With guitarist Tommy Siegel, Thornewill keeps the banter going, always quick with a joke about the latest tour stop. Drummer Jesse Kristin pulls the dynamic together, a perpetual smile on his face as he keeps the beat. In an age of music-on-demand, each performance is a different experience. JULIA COOK The Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., Seattle WA 98121 $13 adv. Tuesday, January 27, 2015, 7pm

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Kishi Bashi Sometimes all it takes is a single word to ignite a creative spark. For singer/violinist Kishi Bashi, leading his string quartet at this show, that word was Lighght (pronounced “light”), the name of his latest album and a one-word poem by Aram Saroyan. But while the poem and album share a title, the similarities end there. The poem’s extreme minimalism is juxtaposed against Bashi’s loop-heavy mix of orchestral and electronic elements, plus layered vocals galore. Even still, the album is as buoyant as its title suggests. With Elizabeth & The Catapult. The Neptune, 1303 N.E. 45th St., 682-1414, stg presents.org/neptune. 8 p.m. $25 adv./$27 DOS. All ages. The Neptune, 1303 N.E. 45th St., Seattle, WA 98105 $25 adv./$27 Tuesday, January 27, 2015, 8 – 9pm

Sam Boshnack Quintet Originals from this exploring trumpeter and four colleagues. The Royal Room, 5000 Rainier Ave. S. Donation Tuesday, February 3, 2015, 8:30pm