Formed in 1987, Op Ivy are a legendary 4-piece fronted by future Rancid cohorts Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, along with friends Jesse Michaels and Dave Mello. ENERGY was released in 1989, the band broke up, and the record went Gold. Now considered a classic and regularly name-checked in lists of the all time great punk and alternative albums, ENERGY has sold well over 500,000 copies to date and is one of the most in-demand out of print releases. Now re-issued with original liner notes and photos, this CD contains the original ENERGY releases plus two early EPs, all re-mastered, while the re-mastered LP will duplicate the original ENERGY LP release.
After Operation Ivy called it quits at the end of the '80s, Lookout put together this compilation of all of the recorded studio material ever released by the group. Much like Minor Threat's Complete Discography, this follows the recorded history of a band that burnt out quickly and had a relentlessly creative view of punk music. The underground classics are all here: "Take Warning," "Unity," "Freeze Up," "Junkie's Runnin' Dry," and 23 other prime tracks. Being one of the first bands to pursue the ska punk sound in California, Operation Ivy was a trailblazer in a genre that quickly became generic due to a glut of like-minded artists. But this should not be held against the group because they made fantastic music for the short time they existed. The CD comes complete with the lyrics to all of the songs, and several good pictures of the band. Countless bands would ape this sound without any creative improvement throughout the '90s, and two of the members would go on to lead the more punk-influenced Rancid. This might be the best ska punk collection by a single band committed to disc, and anyone with even a passing interest in the genre should do themselves a favor and buy this album right away. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide
