The Cars: Ric Ocasek (vocals); Elliot Easton (guitar); Greg Hawkes (keyboards); Ben Orr (bass); David Robinson (drums).
Producers: Roy Thomas Baker, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Mike Shipley, Ric Ocasek, The Cars.
Compilation producer: The Cars, David McLees.
Recorded between 1977 & 1987. Includes liner notes by Brett Milano.
Digitally remastered by Dan Hersch (Digiprep).
This collection by one of the definitive bands of the new wave era is squarely centered on the hits. Fortunately for both us and them, the Cars had plenty of those. The amazing thing about this Boston-based quintet was the fact that they managed to achieve huge mainstream success without ever losing their "hip" credibility. The hits included on this collection show exactly what made the band so appealing; a mix of irresistible hooks, zippy synths, '60s-influenced guitar riffs, and the quirky vocals of Ric Ocasek and Ben Orr.
Were it not for the bright, electronic sheen covering "My Best Friend's Girl," the song could have been a lost Buddy Holly Gem. The melodic beauty of the ballad "Drive" would have sounded at home in any era of pop music. All the historical nods aside, it was the angularity and futurism of the band's image and sound that made them seem so fresh after years of endless Led Zep marathons, and "Moving in Stereo," "It's All I Can Do" and "Dangerous Type" all make good use of the semi-robotic distance in Orr's vocals, Ocasek's elliptical lyrics, and Greg Hawkes's Kraftwerk-influenced electronic coloring. All these facets put together are what make the Cars' music so memorable, and this collection so useful.
