Fitz & the Tantrums / Wednesday, November 10
John Clark
Wild Flag, flying high.
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Los Angeles sextet Fitz & the Tantrums traffics in a vintage neo-soul sound that originated when frontman Michael Fitzpatrick started tinkering with an antique church organ. FATT, in its current incarnation, eschews heavy rock guitars in favor of smooth, fluid keys, saxophone, and flute. Over the past year, they've been riding the public's newly energized enthusiasm for soul and funk, brought about by retro acts like Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Jamie Lidell. The band's first full-length, Pickin' Up the Pieces, was released in August—you've probably heard "Winds of Change" in the commercial for the HTC G2 Smartphone—and is bursting with swinging melodies, crisp drums and handclaps, and sweet Motown harmonies. Sonic Boom Records Capitol Hill, 1525 Melrose Ave., 568-BOOM. 6 p.m. Free. All ages. ERIN K. THOMPSON
Junip / Wednesday, November 10
In September, José González and his chillwave band, Junip, released Fields, their first full-length record. "It feels new for me, even though we started playing 12 years ago," González told me earlier this year. The songs on Fields have all the right González hallmarks—shadowy synths and percussion backing his classical nylon-string guitar and his remarkably tender and lucid vocals. But González says he finds Junip's rhythmic sound much different from that of his acclaimed solo work, and that he also enjoys the freedom that playing with his bandmates (Elias Araya on drums, Tobias Winterkorn on organ and synth) gives him: "I don't think too much about trying to impress people with my guitar." With Sharon Von Etten, Joshua Morrison. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m. $15. ERIN K. THOMPSON
Usher / Wednesday, November 10
Usher's Raymond v. Raymond is not a breakup album. It's a divorce album. As the lyrics spell out, poor Usher's gigantic fame and good looks resulted in a wealth of pussy being shoved in his face night after night—like, how could he say no, right? Well, now that the (ex-)wife wants half, I'm guessing that extracurricular poontang doesn't look as attractive in hindsight. But damn if Usher's legal and emotional mess didn't make for some of his best tunes since Confessions. "Papers" alone is packed with an LP's worth of heart-wrenching goodness. He blames himself, he blames her, he falls to his knees, he gets slapped in the face. Really, he should be thanking his lucky stars he didn't marry a singer like Mariah Carey who could release an album detailing her side of the story. Shit would hit the fan, indeed. With Trey Songz, Miguel. Key Arena, 305 Harrison St., 682-8225. 7:30 p.m. $39.40–$99.50. All ages. BRIAN J. BARR
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin / Thursday, November 11
Hailing from the birthplace of the now-archaic Route 66, Springfield, Mo., Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin is a bit of a relic of a forgotten era itself, hearkening back to a time before terms like "post-grunge" and "blogosphere" were inescapable. Still young (as bands go), SSLYBY plays the kind of deceptively simple, clean pop songs that dominated college radio in the mid-to-late '80s. Imagine the jangle of the Connells, Let's Active, or a less obtuse early R.E.M. filtered through a post-millennial sieve, and you've got the streamlined pop sunshine of SSLYBY. And between recording with Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, touring with locals Telekinesis earlier in the year, and touring currently with Anacortes' The Lonely Forest, they might as well be an honorary Seattle band. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m. $15. All ages. GREGORY FRANKLIN
Delorean / Friday, November 12
Despite what their name might imply, this Spanish indie-electro quartet has no desire to dwell on '80s retro-chic. And despite an unfair number of comparisons to Animal Collective . . . OK, maybe some of those are deserved. But in Subiza, Delorean managed to make one of the year's most beautifully summery records—and if you spend time trying to label it, you'll only tire yourself out. Bouncy synth loops and driving drums mesh into helplessly danceable songs that effortlessly ebb and flow among one another. Sure, they embrace the upbeat abandon of Balearic Beat—but Delorean is just as likely to toy with genre boundaries as to abide by them. If their too-cool Bumbershoot appearance was any indication, you're in for an eruption of joy. With Lemonade, Noddy. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m. $13. NICK FELDMAN
Ghostland Observatory / Friday, November 12—Saturday, November 13
Everyone has a weirdo genius friend. You know, the one no one gets but you? Pry him or her out of their musty room, slap a cape on them, and set them in front of a synth, as you may have a quirky brainiac like Thomas Ross Turner on your hands. Your blueprint can be Ghostland Observatory's spankin' new Codename: Rondo, whose title track is spoken-wordy and Tom-Waitsy in its bizarro-ness and danceability. It's "Detachable Penis" meets "Mr. Roboto" as covered by the Revolting Cocks, and could only be cooked up by an exceptional, delightfully off-track mind. Now all you have to do is be as brilliant, unique, and sexy as frontman Aaron Behrens. With DJ Jack. Showbox SoDo, 1700 First Ave. S., 628-3151. 8 p.m. $22.50 adv./$25 DOS. Friday 21 and over, Saturday all ages. MA'CHELL DUMA LAVASSAR
