Title: The Cars
Artiste: The Cars
Year: 1978
Chronological position: Debut album
Previous experience of this artiste?: Heartbeat City, Door to door, Move like this plus the Greatest Hits compilation
Why is this considered a classic? Their greatest hits were on it, it introduced the world to the band and a new sound, and it sold over a million copies within a year.
My thoughts
One minute (or thereabouts in) ---- Good, great, bad, meh, still waiting or other? Great
One track in --- Great
Halfway through --- Great
Finished --- Great
Comments: Well even though Unknown Soldier wants to disown me and tar and feather me for not having heard this album, I have heard most of it through the compilations and singles, so tracks like “My best friend's girlfriend”, “Just what I needed” and Good times roll” are all well known and liked by me. Love the Queen-like chorus on the opener, possibly thanks to their producer having come from working with that band earlier. Funnily enough, they're described as a new-wave band; I would never have thought that. To me they were just an AOR or rock act. I guess the amount of synthesisers and effects contributed to that tag. Still, I wouldn't have put them in the same arena as Cabaret Voltaire, Flock of Seagulls or any of that lot.
I do however agree with the sleeve being very annoying; that woman couldn't close her stupid mouth? She looks like a cartoon, or as if she's totally high. Meh. I find the quality suddenly dipping though when “I'm in touch with your world” hits; it's just such a comedown after three powerful tracks. Maybe it was too much to expect that everything would be of the same calibre, but still, a bit disappointing that it dips so early. Perhaps it's just a blip. Well, “Dont'cha stop” sounds a bit like Martha and the Muffins' “Echo beach”, but it's a hell of a better song than the previous as it gets the tempo kicking again. As does “You're all I've got tonight”, really rocks along and again you can hear the Queen influence there but not so much that it seems like the Cars are ripping Freddie and Co. off.
“Bye bye love” is okay but I feel it's again lacking something, but “Moving in stereo” gets us back on track; kind of a dark, grindy feel to it with some cool effects. Probably the closest I would say they come to what I would think of as new wave. Closer then is another good rocker, kind of mid-paced and “All mixed up” takes us to the finish line. Interesting, and perhaps a brave decision, not to have a single ballad on the album. I know they made hits out of ballads later, so the fact that this album sold so well without one is quite impressive.
Favourite track(s): Good times roll, My best friend's girlfriend, Just what I needed, You're all I've got tonight, Moving in stereo, All mixed up
Least favourite track(s): I'm in touch with your world
Final impression --- I think the Cars were very lucky in that they had two ready-made, but entirely different, singers in Ben Orr and Ric Ocasek, Now there's only one of course, but back then you could get a great mix from the two of them swapping vocal duties. A great debut and it certainly pointed the way towards the bright lights that would eventually lead The Cars to their destination, Heartbeat City.
[i]Do I feel, at the end, A) I wish I had listened to this sooner
B) I'm sorry I bothered
C) I might end up liking this
D) Have to wait and see
E) Bit underwhelmed; was ok but a classic?
F) Definitely enjoyed it, but again would I consider it a classic?
G) Enjoyed this album just purely on its own merits
H) Glad I listened to it
That's a H I think and I rate it
