Music Reviews
The Shocker

The Shocker

Up Your Ass Tray

Go Kart

Ever the provacteur, former L7 bassist Jennifer Finch is back with a band named after a sexual hand gesture. Ever heard of The Shocker? Let me explain: hold out your hand, open palm. Now bend back thumb and ring finger so that index and middle finger are extended and touching, while the pinky finger extends by itself. What does this gesture mean? It’s a reference to the act of inserting the top two fingers into a vagina as the pinky finds its way into the anus. Shocking?! Hence, the name.

With a name like that you should know not to expect a fluffy band singing about teddy bears and candy canes. The Shocker are an L.A. band playing gut-twisting punk rock born from the spirit of late-night drinking binges and chain-smoking hangovers. In the tradition of early ’80s punk (a la Black Flag, Plasmatics), this band allows Finch to come out front and let her vocals roar on bursts of aggression like “Body Count!” and “Smoke Rings (Up Your Ass Tray).” In between the explosions, the band slows things down and shows a more melodic side on tunes like “Wind Beneath the Wings of the Common House Fly,” on which Finch’s vocals are akin to the godmother of punk, Patti Smith.

The music world has Jennifer Finch again, can you give me a “Fuck Yeah!”?

The Shocker: http://www.shockersite.com


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