You have to be pretty confident to hold an album release party a month before the album comes out. Who’s to say the audience will still remember how much they like the words and melodies when it comes time to buy? Philly’s smart art-pop duo Modern Inventors, Josh Benus and Matt Kass, has both the confidence and the chops if Trains & Aeroplanes is any signifier. Just listen to “Hello,” a moody ode to tween angst inspired by American painter Eric Fischl. Or check out their cover of Paul McCartney’s early solo track “Every Night” — recorded at the urging of WXPN in honor of the Beatle’s 70th birthday — which had Sir Paul himself sending love and thanks. And, seriously, who but this duo could take a seemingly small and loving folk ballad (“Goodbye Northbrook Drive”) and turn it into an emotional tilt-a-whirl with a bridge more massive than the Walt Whitman? Nobody, that’s who.

Fri., Dec. 28, 9:15 p.m., $10, with Hezekiah Jones and Sharktape, Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684, johnnybrendas.com\, moderninventorsmusic.com.