Energy (Operation Ivy album)

Energy
Studio album by Operation Ivy
Released March 1989
April 1991
April 18, 2012
Recorded January 1989 at Sound and Vision Studios in San Francisco, California; November 30, 1987 at Dangerous Rhythm in Oakland, California
Genre Ska punk, hardcore punk
Length 36:48 (Original version)
50:32 (Re-released version)
Language English
Label Lookout! (LK 010)
Hellcat
Producer Kevin Army, Operation Ivy, Larry Livermore
Operation Ivy chronology

Hectic
(1988)		 Energy
(1989)		 Operation Ivy
(1991)
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 March 1989 through Lookout! Records (LK 010). 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-inch compilation Turn It Around!. Energy has been cited as one of the most important albums of the ska punk genre.

Hellcat Records re-released the original album as a 12-inch LP picture disc in 2004, 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]

Hellcat reissued the original album again with a digital download code on April 18, 2012.

Recording and style

Operation Ivy originally intended 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". Split Lip's 1996 compilation album Archived Music For Stubborn People: Songs You May Or May Not Have Heard Before included a cover of "Unity." Goldfinger covered the song "Smiling" on their live album Foot in Mouth (2000). Millencolin covered the song "Knowledge" for their "Skauch" EP. 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 Operation Ivy, except where noted.

No. Title Length
1. "Knowledge"   1:42
2. "Sound System"   2:16
3. "Jaded" (chorus written by John Healy) 1:52
4. "Take Warning"   2:44
5. "The Crowd" (lyrics written by Lint) 2:12
6. "Bombshell" (lyrics written by Michaels and Lint) 1:03
7. "Unity" (lyrics written by Lint) 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

Additional musicians

Production

References

  1. ↑ Bregman, Adam. Energy (Operation Ivy album) at AllMusic
  2. ↑ "Highest Rated Albums: 1989". charts. Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 2012-02-05.

External links