The OC

last songs of the week, from Orange County, CA.

Uniform Choice - Once I Cry.mp3
Along with Rites of Spring, Uniform Choice made it OK to cry in hardcore. One of the earlier examples of emo perhaps? I recall someone suggesting that the lyrics may been ripped straight from a Hallmark card. Kinda harsh, but funny. Musically this is a great midtempo HC song from 1986's Screaming For Change LP. Slower and more melodic than the others on the album, it is still the standout. The remainder of the album plays as inspired HC in the Minor Threat/7 Seconds vein. This still sounds pretty good. Crunchy without being metal. Vocally strong without being annoying. Much better than the NYHC stuff I posted the other day.

As was the case with so many hardcore bands, Uniform Choice really changed up their sound after this one. An mp3 from their 1988 follow up Staring At The Sun is available from Epitonic:

Uniform Choice - A Wish To Dream.mp3

No For An Answer - You Laugh.mp3
NFAA an answer may well be my favorite straight-edge band of them all, for inexplicable reasons. Lyrically & musically they weren't much different than the rest of the pack. I don't know. Their 7" and album had a rawness and hyperness that stood apart to me. Even though I wasn't straight edge growing up I always respected singer Dan Mahoney ( later in Carry Nation and 411) ) who used to have a column in Maximum Rock&Roll. Anyhow, they never seemed to posture they way others did, which made them more appealing to me at least. Lyrically, well more of the same puritanical nonsense. "You Laugh" was from their 6 song 7" released on Revelation in 1988.

Another freebie from Epitonic - The lead track from 1988's A Thought Crusade

No For An Answer - Don't Look Away.mp3