The Lik-lyric Looney returns from tour to set the Trenton hip-hop scene a blaze with a brand-new album, “The Self-Loathing Egomaniac,” and record release party set for The All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) tomorrow night. On the record, the Lawrence Southsider’s self-described “break-neck flows” slide comic book namedrops and zany wordplay – with the favorites being the punk-rock allusions to being a sex pistol-ing rhyme engineer - over horny beat plunders orchestrated by long-time collaborator, Swisschz. His lyrics – which include a full-song homage over the depletion in value of his Spawn No. 1 comic book – prove there’s no topic too deep, shallow or personal that he can’t rhymed about. And that’s uplifting for the Tri-State hip-hop scene and its gravitation toward sensationalistic booty anthems and chauvinistic bling things that show no interpersonal depth. “It’s funny,” he tells On the Beat, “a compliment I hear a lot is people saying they love my stuff and they hate hip-hop. The subject might be different then what some are used to, but that’s the beauty of this music. They’re no limitations.” Show starts at 9. DEMO, The Man From Somewhere Else, Roebus One, Karma Bat, GDP, Swisschz and Rocky play, too. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
The tech-tubular nerd-core noodle-head is the only Garden State emcee to match rhymes about 2-bit sprites, Ethernet cables and video game jargon in his pale-rap parodies. The Jersey goof ball – chilling at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tomorrow night – parodies Run-D.M.C.’s “My Addidas” with an Atari tribute that sports dorky flows like, “I stood in line when I was 9, Thought Burger Time left the world behind,” and “You can’t go wrong with games like Pong, When I’m pit-falling, a snake bit my thong.” Funny stuff, really, especially for fans of Weird Al’s “It’s All About The Pentiums” and MC Lars’ “Hot Topic is Not Punk Rock.” Show starts at 9. The Tea & Whiskey, Montagna & The Mouth To Mouth, Black Birds and Fun Machine round out the bill. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.
Wouldn’t it be cool if The New York Doll and protopunk icon greased up the hair again as Buster Poindexter to spark conga-line fun with his hit, “Hot Hot Hot,” at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tomorrow night. “Ole! Ole!” Johansen’s been quoted as saying that bar mitzvah treasure is the “bane” of his existence. So Vagabond Missionaries songs would be more appropriate. Show starts at 7:30. Tickets cost $25. All-ages.
Monster Magnet’s new sinister sideshow rides the lightning into the Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) tomorrow night. Yep, they sound like Metallica. Sigh. Show starts at 7:30. New Theory, The Ominous Order of Filthy Mongrels, Our Last Sin and Finale Hill play, too. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.
The city band’s alienated free-form space jazz have a Tangerine Dream quality to them in the synth and special effects, with the futuristic guitar cycles leaning its influences to bohemian-rave stalwarts The Disco Biscuits. Also for fans of The New Deal, Lotus and Brothers Past. The guys headline McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
Intergalactic prog-punk from New York? Must be Coheed and Cambria. Sounds like Coheed and Cambria. But alas, it’s not Coheed and Cambria headlining Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday night. Sigh part deux. Show starts at 9. Before The Accident Happens, Cover3 and The Reverend Christopher Eissing play, too. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.
The Freehold quartet play ’70s-style jangle pop and bar-bluesy rock ’n’ rolling Americana that’s part Hollies, part The Refreshments. They headline The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Saturday night. Show starts at 7:30. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.
The Mercer County singer, with the seductive feline stare, doesn’t “give into the syndical pollution.” Instead her revolution starts and ends with inspirational music from the heart that’s not afraid to sock-it-to-you when you underestimate its feminine vigor. For fans of Liz Phair and Ani DiFranco. Carvin opens for Christine Martucci at The Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) Saturday night. Show starts at 7:30. Deepa Soul, Tara Elliott, Aster Pheonyx and Virago play, too. Tickets cost $20. All-ages.
The indie pop songstress stops by The Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) Wednesday night on her way to next weekend’s Bonneroo Festival. Her music’s been all over TV – on “One Tree Hill” and “Grey’s Anatomy” – and contains lyrical whip-smarts disguised in a sea of harmonic fluff. For fans of Lisa Loeb and Sara Bareilles Show starts at 7:30. Matt Morris opens. Tickets cost $25. All-ages.
Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat web line at djscott111@aol.com.
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David Johanson of The New York Dolls gets all "Hot Hot Hot" at The Record Collector in Bordentown Friday night.
