POP

 

Prepare to be swept up in roaring waves of sound as anthemic rock band British Sea Power, from the seaside town of Brighton, England, launches its cannons. Both literate and visceral, their thrilling music feels artfully wrought though never pompous, in the way that, say, Arcade Fire can be. And while albums like their new "Do You Like Rock Music?" are pure British sterling, Sea Power's stage shows are even stronger, demolishing all in their wake. Catch them performing at noon today on WXPN-88.5 FM, or this evening live with Rosebuds and Jeff Lewis Band.

Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 8 tonight, $12, 215-739-9684, www.johnnybrendas.com.

— Jonathan Takiff

ALTERNATIVE

 

Kate Jackson — frontwoman of the co-ed Sheffield, England, quintet the Long Blondes — follows in the footsteps of such great new-wave sirens as Deborah Harry and Chrissie Hynde: tough, smart and stylish on the outside; vulnerable on the inside. Their 2006 debut, "Someone to Drive You Home," gained them raves on both sides of the pond. The just-released "Couples" adds disco to the punky, spunky mix, shades of Blondie's "Atomic" or the reserved dance floor beats of Pet Shop Boys, but the wry, cheeky observations about being a single girl in the city remain firmly intact.

Johnny Brenda's, 1201 Frankford Ave., 8 p.m. Wednesday, $12, 215-739-9684, www.johnnybrendas.com.

— Sara Sherr

JAZZ

 

South Philly-born vocalist Elissa Lala has one of those biographies that VH1 would eat up if jazz singers still achieved "Behind the Music"-level fame.

Entranced by Judy Garland on TV, Lala focused on singing at an early age, becoming a regular on hometown fave "The Al Alberts Showcase" and later as a back-up singer for Sigma Sound Studios, home of Philly soul.

But after seeking fame in L.A. and beginning a promising career with gigs in TV miniseries and commercials, she was struck with severe hearing loss, most likely due to a childhood bout with measles. She overcame those difficulties, began helping hearing-impaired children and resumed singing, most recently with the stark Chet Baker tribute, on "The Touch of Your Voice."

She arrives back home with husband Johnnie Valentino on guitar, Mick Rossi on piano, Kermit Driscoll on bass, Mark Ferber on drums, and Michael Pedicin on sax, a night before he leads his own band on the same stage.

Chris' Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom St., 8 and 10 tonight, $15, 215-568-3131, www.chrisjazzcafe.com.

— Shaun Brady

HIP-HOP

 

Sometimes, artists who take time off to re-energize fall completely out of the music scene, never to be heard from again. Not so for urban crossover songstress Erykah Badu, who's on her "New Amerykah Tour" to promote her first album since 2003, "New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War."

It's a continuance of sorts of Badu's "Mama's Gun" experiment. But experimentation is nothing new for the Grammy-winning Badu. Her 1997 debut, "Baduism," thrust her into the upper echelons of urban sound, while 2000's "Mama's Gun" introduced a more honestly lyrical Badu. Her list of collaborative efforts is equally impressive. She's worked with the likes of Common, Busta Rhymes, Outkast, Macy Gray, Guru, the Roots and Gilles Peterson, to name a few.

Tower Theatre, 69th and Ludlow streets, Upper Darby, 8 p.m. Sunday, $39.50-$60, 215-336-2000, www.livenation.com.

— Damon C. Williams

CLASSICAL

 

The rich tapestry of American music is still mostly neglected, so it's gratifying to see a complete program of our gems on the Philadelphia Classical Symphony's season closer. Conductor Karl Middleman has two worthy but neglected pieces, David Diamond's glorious "Rounds" and Thomas Canning's "Fantasy on a Hymn Tune of Justin Morgan."

Philadelphia Orchestra violinist Hirono Oka will perform the solo in Leonard Bernstein's "Serenade" for violin, strings and percussion. And to make it a truly American bill, Middleman will lead "Reawakenings" by Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate, a Chickasaw Indian composer.

Trinity Center for Urban Life, 22nd and Spruce streets, 8 tonight, $15-$35, 610-664-8481, www.classicalsymphony.org.

— Tom Di Nardo