Today is the day that the long-anticipated Operation Ivy tribute Mooorree Than Just Another Comp is released. Sell the Heart Records and Lavasock Records kindly sent TGEFM a promo copy which we dove into for another of our track-by-track discussions. We continue our discussion with the next eleven songs on the comp. Part 1 can be found here, and part 3 will be out later today.
First off… the comp!
(note- we have very little control which track starts first in the embed… that’s a Bandcamp thing)
12) Bad Idols – “Bad Town”
Dan – I love the original but forget how much sax is in it. I’m not sure what Bad Idols used in the beginning in place of the sax, maybe a melodica, but it was a nice touch. This version has harder drums and grungier guitars and even a more raspy voice than Tim on the original. I liked it.
Julie – While you certainly want to make a version that isn’t like the original, you also want to make something that’s as engaging as the original, and this isn’t it. I was kind of excited for what was to come when I heard that little part Dan was talking about at the beginning. But then switching to a straight-up hardcore style on the verses takes away the dancability that made the Operation Ivy version so much fun. And, with so many Operation Ivy songs that have hardcore elements in them, why choose to turn one into a hardcore song that wasn’t originally?
Mike – I’ll have to side with Julie on some unnecessary (albeit top-fucking-notch double-time) performance from drummer Paul Lowe, who essentially cranked the dinky standard into a Choking Victim song. It was, however, a fun experiment on one of those few Ivy classics that shouldn’t even be attempted, big ups to Bad Idols for being courageous.
Jeff – I’m going to flat out disagree with Julie and Mike on this. I’m always in the mood for some sloppy fast punk of this type, and Bad Idols definitely scratches that itch in spades. Sure, the idea of “let’s cover one of the most sedate songs in fast punk style” is over-used, but if delivered correctly it can be a thing of beauty. I’d lay money down that Bad Idols’ “Bad Town” would probably one of the most fun out of any of these songs played live.
You keep on keepin’ with your bad self, Bad Idols.
13) Foxx Bodies – “Smiling”
Julie – I always want to tread carefully when talking about female vs. male vocalists because, as we enter a new age where transgender identities are becoming more common i don’t want to presume anyone’s gender, especially because very few bands offer up all their band members’ pronouns in their press kits. It’s also somewhat unfair to bring gender into the discussion of a cover, but I think, with this particular song, it’s relevant. The song is about a man whose sexual exploits are primarily for the purposes of impressing his peers, and hearing that higher-pitched voice singing a song like this does seem to shift the perspective. Without making any guesses about the gender of the vocalist, it does sound like it’s coming from a more feminist perspective when you hear it with that voice.
Also, I absolutely love that random free-jazz sex in the middle of the song.
Jeff – “free-jazz sex” or “free-jazz sax”?
Julie – Lol saxophone.
Jeff – No, Julie. I want to hear more about free-jazz sex. This sounds very interesting! (laughter) Although I thought it was the vocalist doing that scream Isn’t it?
Julie – Is it? That doesn’t sound like a human being.
Free-jazz sex happens randomly, takes three hours, and never reaches any sort of climax.
Dan – I thought that was the singer also doing a scream, but I must admit, I don’t know much about free-jazz sex. I was somewhat into this version as it was just different enough.
14) Zilla – “Caution”
Julie –I love the really echo-y surf guitars that Zella add on this one. Did you ever have one of those big plastic microphones you get at a party store that makes everything echo and makes a really cool sound when you smack them? It sounds like someone fed the sound of the guitar through one of those. It’s a little showy, but I like show-offs.
Dan – We still have a plastic mic in my house. The reverb and bass was great on this one. Zilla gave this their own twist and it works.
Jeff – … (laughter) I don’t even know how to respond to that.
15) Omnigone – “Freeze Up”
Julie – Poor Omnigone is in an unenviable position for the purposes of this review, because whatever mechanism was used to determine who covered what resulted in them having to cover my absolute favorite Operation Ivy song. What’s more is that, while I don’t think we should get into comparing every song on this compilation to the covers on the 1997 Operation Ivy tribute album Take Warning, The Hippos’ cover of “Freeze Up” from that compilation really is a tough one to live up to as well. I’ve always appreciated that The Hippos recognized the hip-hop elements inherent in this song and leaned into them. Honestly, anytime someone combines punk and rap, I’m excited about it.
What Omnigone does have to their advantage is that I just saw them live opening the Bad Times Records tour (see my review) and they really impressed me. And they do manage to get this one right, seamlessly blending that hip-hop element with ska and some good old fashioned hardcore punk.
One thing that I never understood about The Hippos’ version is why they didn’t change the year in the lyrics from 1989 to the year that they recorded it. Why not? Show that it’s still a relevant song! Omnigone does something interesting: the first time the chorus comes up they say “1989” and the second time they say “2022.” I love that because it further demonstrates the similarities in the bleak political climates of both time periods and how timeless Jesse Michaels’ lyrics are.
Dan – After listening to this comp a couple times I went back and listened to the 1997 Operation Ivy tribute album Take Warning and I agree the Hippos’ did a great job. I thought the same thing that I’m not sure I should be comparing this tribute comp to that one, but it’s good to hear how another band does it and I didn’t want to leave any stone unturned. Omnigone does a good job also with this, I like the spin they put on the ending of the song, being a little faster with more screaming vocals.
Jeff – If only Omnigone knew in 2022 that things would be so much better in 2023… (laughter). If I had one qualm about this song, and it has more to do with the individualism of the covers more than Omnigone’s (excellent, IMHO) cover, it’s that this one is mixed so bass heavy and, following Zilla’s more faithful sound to the original, it was actually a bit off-putting at first. I know that neither band is to blame, and there really isn’t a lot that could’ve been done later without sacrificing one or the other band’s vision of how they wanted it to sound. Just a bit of a shock.
Good cover though, Omnigone. Right on.
16) Bumsy and the Moochers – “Artificial Life”
Julie – This one doesn’t really add or change much from the original. I mean there’s a few tiny tweaks but it just feels a little safe.
Mike – Julie’s take is fair, but I have to hand it to Caitlin Edwards for perhaps one of the most evenly matched vocal deliveries with Jesse Michael’s original thus far on the compilation. The fuzzy post-production adds some needed grit, and I extend some high-fives for the Chicagoans for taking a stab without a click track to honor their predecessors. Fun song.
Julie – Something I noticed on repeat listens: while OpIvy’s songs have stayed relevant, there’s little dated references that make sense to change here and there and “Hear the anthems from the Pepsi generation” was definitely a dated reference that could have done with an update.
Dan – I would have to agree with Mikey that the vocal delivery was fantastic. The rest was pretty good also but the vocals stole the show for me. I don’t know what you would change Pepsi generation to, the energy drink generation?
Julie -Okay so I guess I’m better at pointing out the problem than finding the solution, but “the Pepsi generation” was a very specific marketing slogan aimed at Gen Xers in the ‘80s.
But I guess it comes down to whether you’re seeing these covers as time capsules of the era Operation Ivy was writing in or updated reimaginings made for the modern world. I personally prefer the latter.
Which might get at the heart of why tribute albums are so hit-or-miss: did we start making them before we came to a consensus on what they were for? Or am I getting too philosophical for 7 AM?
Jeff – Maybe “TikTok generation”… but in 20 years are people even going to know what TikTok is (or was)? Pepsi will still be there, enjoying their 1/3rd market share of the cola wars… or something.
17) Dog Party & The Moore Family Band – “Room Without a Window”
Julie – I do love Dog Party, especially their live performances. They’re always a fun time. I don’t know The Moore Family Band, but based on a Google search it seems we have two sibling-bands paired together. I like it because Dog Party only has two members, so pairing them with another band creates a fuller sound than what they normally produce. They manage to give this song some very different rhythmic elements from the original that make it a little bit more varied than OpIvy’s version.
Dan – The vocals do have a more fuller feel and I agree it’s just different enough. I enjoyed this one. I don’t know if you Googled dog party and looked at the non-band related results, it’s fantastic.
Jeff – (laughter) Yeah, I like what they do here, and Julie’s right: by combining their powers into one full band, they’re able to bring a lot to the table with this cover. It rocks.
Mike – Everything above is dead-on, and I may say this multiple times in this analysis… but good god it is powerful to hear non-males blow these standards beyond the originals.
18) Scene Killers – “Big City”
Dan – This is exactly what a tribute song in my opinion should be. It sounds almost nothing like the original but yet I recognize the song right away. Scene Killers put their own grungy style on it and gave the song a completely different feel but yet still paid homage to the original. Nice job.
Jeff – Surprsingly, Scene Killers’ dirge-like grind may actually be more appropriate to this song. Punk in general, and OpIvy specifically, has a knack for making downer songs extremely fun and catchy, and the original “Big City” is a great example of this. I can see where some people who are too beholden to the original, or don’t like their covers straying too far from the path, wouldn’t be keen on this one. But I have to agree with you, Dan, this is a well-done cover. Different, but completely recognizable.
Julie – I like just how blown out and sloppy this song is. It really gives off this grungy/Pussy Galore-ish garage-rock style. I agree, this is a great way to transform a song into a completely different subgenre and still keep that recognizability.
19) Flying Raccoon Suit – “Missionary”
Dan – This one has a completely different feel than the original, almost unrecognizable aside from the “On my way to save the world” lyrics. Flying Raccoon Suit gave this the big band treatment and I think it works.
Jeff – I think this is stellar. Even the cadence of the lyrics is changed, but the vocals are just superb. Everything about what Flying Raccoon Suit does on this is just about A+ material. I think the big band treatment doesn’t lend itself to a strong ending like the original, but everything else is just a joy. The different brass getting a moment in the sun, the production. It’s great!
Julie – The only thing that I think really needed to be preserved from Operation Ivy’s “Missionary” is the dripping and scathing irony of Jesse Michaels’ lyrics. Flying Raccoon Suit’s Dixieland jazz-style rendition of the song manages to do exactly that and jettisons the rest of the original in favor of something radically different. It’s a really fresh take that demonstrates an understanding of the song.
Jeff – Also, this song is where the album Energy ends, and is the last song for many an OpIvy fan for a while, at least until the Operation Ivy album (1991 Lookout!) made its way out to them. As such, I appreciate how FRS really goes hog wild on it. It isn’t an album closer for this comp but, for many a punk, it is the first album closer in their hearts.
Mike – I’ll dive in on the enthusiasm. FRS is a killer sophomore fucking ska outfit, and the production and engineering lying on drummer Derek Kerley give the progressive ska band with unlimited horn-sections super-powers. Jessica Jeansonne’s modest silence is the battery-charge that this group has been able to fuel an incredible discography thus-far, and perhaps a top three rated home-run on the compilation. Follow this band.
Jeff – Mike Elfers – PR to the Stars! (laughter)
20) Tim Holehouse – “Junkie’s Runnin’ Dry”
Jeff – Tim Holehouse is a goddamn treat, and I like his loosey goosey acoustic cover of “Junkie’s Runnin’ Dry” a lot. If there’s a downside for me, it’s the delivery of the “Junkie’s Running Dry” chorus. There’s some studio effects going on to make his sotto voce delivery of that line more present and it comes off as a bit off-putting. I’m assuming the goal was to make it sound different enough so that it just didn’t sound like Tim singing the line over himself, but it just doesn’t work as much on my end. Luckily I usually sing that part out loud to myself (as I imagine a lot of people do), so even though Tim didn’t get the gang vocals on the recording, he can rely on the listeners to fill that in for him.
Julie – I don’t know, it’s definitely pulling off some gorgeous new melodies that the original didn’t have, but I’m just craving some sort of rhythm section on this one. Nothing overpowering, mind you, just something light to fill in the empty space in this one. I guess that sparse sound is what Tim Holehouse is looking for, but even just a touch of cymbals would be really welcome here.
Dan – This is the perfect song for Tim Holehouse’s style. It really brings out the emotion that’s a little lacking in the original. I agree with Jeff that we didn’t really need any studio effects, but I still really like this one.
21) The Hellas – “Here We Go Again”
Julie – There’s more rap to Jesse Michaels’ delivery than I think people really recognize sometimes, and this is another song where I feel like the band recognized that and really leaned into that. The differences are somewhat subtle here compared to some of the more radical covers, but it’s also not a straightforward cover either. There’s this sort of jazz funk element that the Hellas pull out here which really makes it fun.
Dan – Somehow they slowed down the song and made the song shorter at the same time. I do agree this pop alt version works.
Jeff – If I’m being honest, I’m not much of a fan of the original (I know, I know… sacrilege), but I’m digging Startle’s funky flourishes to this one. It adds depth and body to a song that probably suffered a bit from poor production, but yeah.
22) Startle – “Hoboken”
Julie – This is a really surprising rendition where Startle turn it into some sort of inspirational pop tune a la fun. or Bleachers. It’s one of those ideas that sounds really bizarre on paper but somehow just work.
Dan – I was going to say the same thing. The vocal delivery is on point and it is a good cover, but that’s about all it is. Who was that band that played all Fisher-Price instruments?
Jeff – I love how he yells and extends “SOOOoooooon” in the intro. I see what you’re saying Julie, but I think there is a bit of a fresh coat of paint on this with some slight percussion flourishes and the like. Not a huge reimagining, but a good cover nonetheless.
Check back in a bit as we close out with part 3 of our track-by-track discussion, and final thoughts on the comp as a whole. In the meantime Mooorree Than Just Another Comp is available digitally at the STHR Bandcamp. For physical releases on vinyl (inventory is going fast!) visit the Sell The Heart or Lavasocks web stores.
the white drew carey (aka – Jeff Sorley) is the founder and head editor of TGEFM. He’s lived (outside of) Chicago, Madison WI, (ugh) Penn State, Lyon FR, Oxford UK, central New Jersey, and now within earshot of SFO in the Bay Area. When not scouring the web for more great bands and labels to post about, he also spends time drawing (mostly) silly sci-fi and anime stuff under the name Asplenia Studios.
