The Cars Let The Good Times Roll

You might think they’re crazy, but The Cars, one of the quintessential bands of the new wave era, return this week with a brand new album. Their brand of mechanical, synth-oriented pop/rock still manages to sound both fun and distant. It’s a rare combination that plays as well now as it did 25 years ago.

The band, which included lead singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, lead guitarist Elliot Easton, bassist Benjamin Orr and drummer David Robinson, found their way out of Boston in 1977. The demo for “Just What I Needed” attracted local airplay and the attention of record companies. Elektra Records signed them later that year and released their eponymous debut soon after. That album included the hits “My Best Friend’s Girl” and “Good Times Roll,” and went platinum six times over.

The smash Candy-O followed in 1979 and sped to #3 on the Billboard Album Chart. The album included the smash “Let’s Go” as well as the single “It’s All I Can Do.” The cover, illustrated by famed pin-up girl painter Alberto Vargas, proved, once again, that cars and women go well together. Was there ever any doubt? Candy-O added another 4 million in sales to their tally.

Ric Ocasek - Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Their quirky blend of jangly guitar rock and quirky synth-pop produced hit after memorable hit through most of the ‘80s: “Shake It Up,” “You Might Think,” “Magic,” “Drive” and “Tonight She Comes.” The Cars turned off the engines 1988. A decade later Ocasek swore the band would never reunite, telling a reporter, “I’m saying never and you can count on that.”

Lucky for us, he changed his mind. This week The Cars release Move Like This, their first new album since 1987 featuring the original lineup (minus Ben Orr, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2000). Ocasek was “amazed at how we clicked when we got back together.” “Sad Song” is the first single, though it doesn’t sound terribly sad… just the opposite actually. A tour in support of the release starts this month. So shift into drive and let the good times roll…

Suggested Tracks:
My Best Friend’s Girl
Just What I Needed
Let’s Go
Shake It Up
You Might Think

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