Early Straigt Edge Hardcore

Uniform Choice - Screaming For Change is one of my favorite Straight Edge hardcore records ever. They were just a great hardcore band from the mid-80's that happen to have sung about straight edge. Yeah, some of the lyrics are pretty corny by today's standards, but I guess for 1985, it was really awesome, honestly. These guys were pretty much the first real Cali Straight Edge hardcore band, pre-dating bands like Chain of Strength. In my ears, they kind of bridge the gap between real fast, angry, earlier Edge hardcore like SSD with the "Youth Crew" style of the mid-late 80's. This is way up there on my list, and I actually very recently found the second pressing copy of this record that I ripped for you. Download the rip below. I'm stoked to own it, look for your own copy!


http://www.mediafire.com/?mqquijd0dt5

Old NJHC/Metal

I'm sorry I'm only putting up one thing today, but it's an LP. I also won't be posting tomorrow and maybe the rest of the weekend, so take that time to catch up and listen to the other stuff I've posted on here that you might not have had a chance to listen to yet.

Sacred Denial - Sifting Through Remains is a definite departure from their first album or 2. Less hardecore punk and more metallic, for sure. So in that respect it's kind of heavier and sludgier, kinda thrashy but not the same kinda break-neck speed/breakdown mixed style from Life's Been Getting to Me. Vocals are kinda higher-pitched or something, also, and more melodic, maybe (and louder in the mix). Heavier drum sound, more insane guitar solos (the dude could play the hell out of some guitar, I must say). Still, solid songs, and better than most stuff coming out in 1988. And this is from New Jersey, man! Unfortunately one side came out a little quieter than the other on this LP, for whatever reason I couldn't boost it higher without clipping so you'll have to make due. Sorry! You should buy anything these guys ever put out, super underrated NJHC band from the 80's. Worth a listen. Get this below:

http://www.mediafire.com/?gttzmjywot1

NJHC and Soul, perfect together

Today I have some cool stuff for you, including the first LP I've ripped. It was daunting, but I tackled it with vigor.

Here's the first LP: Bedlam - Total Bedlam. It's a New Jersey Hardcore classic on Buy Our Records, and I believe it came out in something like 1986. I will warn you that it can be offensive to the wrong crowd, so if you're really PC and/or don't have a sense of humor, skip down to the soul I'm uploading. But if you can listen to some kinda funny, hard, fast music from NJ in the mid 1980's, check it out. They were kind of a brother band to AOD. My favorite song is "Hated You Then and I Hate You Now." "AIDS" is maybe the most offensive, guess why! It's just that kinda album, haha. Download:

http://www.mediafire.com/?yddmzdnjmjz

On to nicer, more pleasant things, here's a 45 by Betty LaVette. It's some funky, rather deep soul on the Silver Fox label, "Do Your Duty" b/w "Love's Made a Fool Out of Me". If you've never listened to Betty Lavette, really get down on this, it's awesome soul music. Kind of a slightly sweeter-sounding Aretha Franklin sound. Not quite as deeply expressive as Aretha, but plenty of sweetness and sass. Download:

http://www.mediafire.com/?myyzmuzin5c

And to wrap up, I have a fantastic up-tempo soul 45 by The Radiants on the Chess label. This would I suppose be considered Northern Soul, real glossy kinda production, but all around fabulous harmonies and amazing dance beats. It's from the era right before production got too glossy to be cool. There's strings and horns, but they actually WORK and don't sound cheesey or forced. I love both sides of this 45, and believe you will, too.

http://www.mediafire.com/?0iliyatzxjn

Obscure, and less obscure

The first thing I'll post today is obscure. It's an early 90's hardcore 7" by Long Island (I believe), NY's Goon Squad called "Uglier Than Your Sister." It's pretty brutal stuff with some actually clever lyrics that border on being funny and making me wanna punch myself in the face with a toaster. That's a pretty cool border to be on. I wish the drums were recorded better on this 7", because the parts are heavy and decent, but the tone and sound is just bad. Otherwise, it's a funn 7" to listen to. These guys are more or less unknown nowadays, but older NY heads might remember them. I spun records between bands at a reunion show of sorts that my friend put on for them in NYC several years ago. I think about 6 people hung around to watch and dance for these guys, but we enjoyed the shit out of it. So here's some seriously obscure hardcore I doubt you can download elsewhere.



No picture, download below:
http://www.mediafire.com/?t3jzkkjvw0i



Next up is a less obscure record I got some years ago. It's a much later, slow lovers rock reggae cut of a classic 60's Rocksteady song sung by Errol Dunkley called "You're Gonna Need Me." The b-side is a very dubbed out reverb-heavy "Version" of the instrumental backing track. Errol Dunkley is often kind of underappreciated in the realm of Reggae singers. He didn't have the prettiest or flashiest voice around, but he sang great songs well, and I am a fan. Got to see him live a few years ago, and he put on a nice show. The original cut he did of this song is from the 60's, and is on the Trojan Rocksteady Box Set. It's like a mellow Jamaican equivalent of the 13th Floor Elevators' "You're Gonna Miss Me." It was originally a blues tune by Barbara Lynn. This version came much later, but I don't know exactly when. It's some serious sad, heart-felt stuff. This one's dedicated to all the bitches that broke my heart via electronic communication! Bitches.


Again no pic, download below:
http://www.mediafire.com/?gmwy0lmyftn



And I saved the best for last again. This IS my favorite Pat Kelly 45 of all time, and many would agree with me. It would be considered "Skinhead" or "Early Reggae", and I believe it's from about 1969. The instrumental backing track on this is so upbeat and happy-sounding that the sad, longing lyrics and vocal style seem to come from a whole other friggin' planet. I honestly can't even express the beauty contained on this 7" round slab of vinyl. I hate when stuff gets over-hyped, but I could hype this for an hour and it would still exceed any expectations you had. Kelly's Curtis Mayfield-inspired falsetto pleading tugs at my heart strings harder than the marlin from "The Old Man and The Sea". The b-side is another nice vocal track on basically the same instrumental called "Try to Remember." It's really good, but has a totally different melody and is less urgent and overwhelmingly sad than "How Long." I have a blank, original Jamaican pressing of this. Download it below the picture of the English pressing:




http://www.mediafire.com/?md2ojwmozzy