Energy (Operation Ivy album)

Energy
Studio album by Operation Ivy
Released March 1989
April, 1991
Recorded September, 1987 - January, 1989 at Sound and Vision Studios, San Francisco, California
Genre Ska punk, hardcore punk
Length 36:48 (Original version)
50:36 (Re-released version)
Label Lookout!, Hellcat
Producer Kevin Army, Operation Ivy, Larry Livermore
Operation Ivy chronology
Hectic
(1988)
Energy
(1989)
Operation Ivy
(1991)
Alternative cover
1991 re-release
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

Energy is the only studio album by the American ska punk band Operation Ivy. It was originally released only on vinyl and cassette in May 1989 through Lookout! Records. It was remastered and re-released on CD by Lookout! Records in 1991 as an eponymous release with an additional 8 tracks from the band's Hectic EP and the Maximumrocknroll double 7" compilation Turn It Around!. Energy has been cited as one of the most important albums of the ska punk genre.

In 2004, Hellcat Records re-released the original album as a 12" LP picture disc, and in 2007 re-released a remastered version of the self-titled CD.

In 2006, Energy was ranked as the highest rated punk album of 1989 and 6th highest rated ever on Sputnikmusic.[2]

Contents

Recording and style

Operation Ivy tried to record Energy at 924 Gilman Street but because of problems, they set out to record at Sound and Vision in San Francisco, California in January 1989. As did Hectic, Energy had outtakes that were later put onto the album Unreleased Energy. Energy has been said to be more mature and less hardcore than Hectic.

Influence and covers

Energy is widely regarded as a pivotal album of ska-core. Many artists have covered the songs on Energy (and Hectic), including the tribute album Take Warning: The Songs of Operation Ivy. The Leftöver Crack song "Gay Rude Boys Unite" is a parody of "Unity" and the introduction music is deliberately similar to that of "Yellin' in My Ear". Goldfinger covered the song "Smiling" on their live album Foot in Mouth (2000). Green Day covered the song "Knowledge" for their Slappy EP, and they continue to play the song at live performances (even pulling audience members on stage to play instruments).

Track listing

All lyrics written by Jesse Michaels, except where noted, all music composed by Michaels, Lint, Matt McCall and Dave Mello, except where noted.

No. Title Length
1. "Knowledge"   1:42
2. "Sound System"   2:16
3. "Jaded"   1:52
4. "Take Warning"   2:44
5. "The Crowd"   2:12
6. "Bombshell" (lyrics written by Michaels and Lint) 1:03
7. "Unity"   2:13
8. "Vulnerability"   2:02
9. "Bankshot"   1:34
10. "One of These Days" (written by Lee Hazlewood; originally performed by Nancy Sinatra) 1:07
11. "Gonna Find You"   1:56
12. "Bad Town"   2:35
13. "Smiling"   1:45
14. "Caution"   1:29
15. "Freeze Up"   2:20
16. "Artificial Life" (lyrics written by Lint) 2:07
17. "Room Without a Window"   1:31
18. "Big City"   2:16
19. "Missionary"   2:08
Total length:
36:48

Personnel

References