DANNY BROWN'S ADDICTIVE RUBBER BAND FLOW

After listening to his 2011 release XXX, I hoped that one day I might love something half as much as Danny Brown loves eating pussy. Then came 2013's Old, which steadily proved to be that something. Brown's flow is pure rubber-band insanity—Slim Shady meets ODB on Adderall—and on Old, this flow's deployed across a unified whole of a record that's deep, hilarious, and built to last. Opening tonight's show at the Showbox: Seattle rapper Raz Simone. DAVID SCHMADER
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BRANFORD MARSALIS AND THE STRUGGLE FOR JAZZ'S SOUL

(Benaroya Hall) In the ’80s, jazz came down to two musicians, who also were brothers. On one side, there was Wynton Marsalis, and the other was Branford Marsalis. The former played the trumpet; the latter the saxophone. The former represented one direction for jazz, the past (meaning, creating only on its terms and building upon its traditions); the latter, the future (which usually meant fusing jazz with what was happening at that moment). The past was all about jazz achieving the high cultural state of classical music; the future, was about opening jazz to the low status of pop music. When not playing jazz, Wynton performed complicated pieces by Bach; when not playing jazz, Branford was playing simple rock tunes by the pop star Sting. Though the saxophonist was the better musician, the trumpeter won this war. Jazz is now America’s classical music. CHARLES MUDEDE
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THE ECLECTIC EXCELLENCE OF DAVID HAHN'S CONCERT IMAGINAIRE

(Chapel Performance Space) Under the name Concert Imaginaire, Seattle songwriter David Hahn has taken eclecticism to an idiosyncratic high with his 2014 album, Fortune’s Wheel. Produced by the wizardly Steve Fisk, the record features a sprawling cast of collaborators, including Sean Nelson, who recites a German WWII soldier’s anti-war poem on “There’s Only One Thing to Do,” which evokes David Byrne’s The Knee Plays. Dig the range. The title track is gorgeous, contemplative orchestral pop that recalls some of the best ’70s British prog; “Fuse!” radiates the complex, classy urgency of a Morricone giallo soundtrack; “The Massacre of Suns” sets an Emily Dickinson poem sung by Maria Mannisto to a wistful drone; “I Hate Being White” doles out dorky funk rock à la Adrian Belew; “World Circus News” is a strident, violin-powered martial waltz; “Do the Prepuce!” forges a Mahavishnu Orchestra-like menace; and more. Fortune’s Wheel covers lots of ground very interestingly and Hahn proves himself a chameleonic, artful composer of magnitude. DAVE SEGAL
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ISRAEL VINES, BLACK HAT, JOSEF GAARD ATTAIN A NEW BLEAK

The Secondnature team’s at it again, booking a stacked lineup of electronic greatness. I’ve written much about Black Hat and Josef Gaard lately; suffice it to say, they’re two of the area’s leading proponents of postindustrial ambience and techno, understatedly morbid stuff that paradoxically lifts your spirits. However, Israel Vines, the headliner from LA, is a new name to me. His tracks have been charted by some of the greatest DJs in the world (Surgeon, Silent Servant, RØDHAD, etc.) and he’s appeared on a release with Donato Dozzy, so lavish respect on the man. Turns out Vines also has 15 years of vinyl-centric DJing experience and his tastes appear to run toward the bleaker end of the techno and ambient spectra. These dreadful times call for this sort of imminent-doom sound. It’s cathartic, innit? With Archivist. DAVE SEGAL
Kremwerk, 9 pm, $10, 21+.


TYVEK'S RHYTHMIC PUNK FREAKOUTS

(Chop Suey) With 2012's On Triple Beams, Detroit garage-punks Tyvek finally matched their songwriting and instrumentation with the acute energy they've been exhibiting since their early days. This stuff makes you want to move. Simply referring to it as “garage punk” may be a little too reductive, though, depending on your definition of that term. More specifically, Tyvek worm repeated and austere guitar riffs through rhythm-section work in a way that produces aural alchemy about every 30 seconds. Front-area person Kevin Boyer's speak-shouted vocals about things like stealing sand and how efficiency is boring sound positively anthemic in this context. Although I've not seen them live, internet footage suggests nothing less than a churning, thrumming dance floor will materialize. If any of this sounds enticing to you, be sure to show up on time for Dreamsalon, who dole out a similarly electrifying din. With Mutiny Mutiny. GRANT BRISSEY
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And here's all our recommended music events—tonight, tomorrow, and beyond!