Rough Edge: The Shocker CD Reviews

THE SHOCKER

"Up Your Ass Tray 'the Full Length'" (GoKart; 2006)

As you may have gleaned from the title, this CD is an extended version of the CD reviewed below. The GoKart Records version of "Up Your Ass Tracy" contains six of the seven songs from the previous CD (deleting the cover of "Angel in the Morning") and adds five additional tracks ("Cash In," "Pop Narcotic," "The Wind Beneath The Wings Of The Common House Fly," "On A Scale Of 1 To 10, You're An Eight" and a cover of Body Count's "Body Count."

It's been so long since I heard the original "Up Your Ass Tray," I can't tell you if this new version has been re-mixed, re-mastered or re-recorded (although the fact this is almost a completely new line-up hints that it was). What I can tell you is that it still sounds damn good and that the band has a heavier sound that I remembered. The trade of the "Angel in the Morning" cover for the Body Count cover is a good one. Although I enjoyed the former, the latter fits the album's overall tone much better. Most of the new songs fit the CD as though they were recorded for it (and, for all I know, they were). I don't care for the flange vocals on "On a Scale of 1 to 10, You're an Eight," but they're not so annoying as to ruin the entire CD for me.

If you're into punk rock with a hard rock / heavy metal edge, as well as lyrics that are funny as often as they are insightful, then The Shocker is a band you should look into.

The Shocker: Jennifer Precious Finch - lead vox/guitar; Adam Fuller - vox/lead guitar; Lisa Howe - vox/bass; Ronnie James - vox/guitar; Scott Quist - vox/drums.

For more information, check out http://www.shockersite.com.

"Up Your Ass Tray" (Little Pusher / Oglio; 2003)

Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton

If you're wondering where "The Shocker" got their name you won't wonder long. The title of this CD and the recurring image of a particular hand gesture will soon make the source of the moniker very clear. If that's not clear enough, then the album's title should give you the final clue.

The Shocker features Jennifer Precious Finch, formerly of the great band L7. Finch not only provides lead vocals and guitar, she wrote or co-wrote all but one of the seven songs herein. (The seventh was written by legendary songwriter Chip Taylor, a cover of "Angel in the Morning.")

Finch's presence bears mention because The Shocker's sound isn't too far from L7's. The CD begins with "Smoke Rings (Up Your Ass Tray" a raucous little rocker that almost sounds a little like Oingo Boingo. "My Life as a Plumber" is up next and its smokey, bluesy guitar is instantly addictive. "Bad Brain Good Head" generates the laughs just as it's intended to do and the aforementioned cover of "Angel in the Morning" is respectfully familiar yet slyly irreverent.

Bottom line here is easy: If you're familiar with L7's work, you'll probably like The Shocker. If not, but you like music that perfectly blurs the line between hard rock and punk, you'll probably like The Shocker.

If you like epic records with running times of over an hour, you probably won't like The Shocker. "Up Your Ass Tray" and it's seven tracks run just slightly under 16 minutes.

The Shocker: Jennifer Precious Finch - lead vox, guitars; Lura Jones - vox, guitars; Claudia Rossi - drums; Arye Shine - vox, guitar, lead guitar.

For more information, check out http://www.shockersite.com.

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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