| | Cars CD Cars Discography of CDs
 (4 Customer Reviews)
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The Cars: Ric Ocasek (vocals, guitar); Benjamin Orr (vocals, bass); Elliot Easton (guitar, background vocals); Gregg Hawkes (keyboards, saxophone, percussion, background vocals); David Robinson (drums, percussion, background vocals).
Recorded at AIR Studios, London, England in Feburary, 1978.
All tracks have been digitally remastered using HDCD technology.
The Cars: Ric Ocasek (guitar, vocals), Elliot Easton (lead guitar, background vocals), Gregg Hawkes (keyboards, saxophone, percussion, background vocals), Benjamin Orr (bass, vocals), David Robinson (drums, percussion, background vocals).
Recorded at AIR Recording Studios, London, England in February, 1978.
Digitally remastered by Steve Hoffman (February 1993).
The Cars: Ric Ocasek (vocals, guitar); Benjamin Orr (vocals, bass); Elliot Easton (guitar); Greg Hawkes (keyboards); David Robinson (drums).
Producer: Roy Thomas Baker.
Compilation producer: David McLees.
The Cars' 1978 self-titled debut, issued on the Elektra label, is a genuine rock masterpiece. The band jokingly referred to the album as their "true greatest-hits album," but it's no exaggeration -- all nine tracks are new wave/rock classics, still in rotation on rock radio. Whereas most bands of the late '70s embraced either punk/new wave or hard rock, the Cars were one of the first bands to do the unthinkable -- merge the two styles together. Add to it bandleader/songwriter Ric Ocasek's supreme pop sensibilities, and you had an album that appealed to new wavers, rockers, and Top 40 fans. One of the most popular new wave songs ever, "Just What I Needed," is an obvious highlight, as are such familiar hits as "Good Times Roll," "My Best Friend's Girl," and "You're All I've Got Tonight." But like most consummate rock albums, the lesser-known compositions are just as exhilarating: "Don't Cha Stop," "Bye Bye Love," "All Mixed Up," and "Moving in Stereo," the latter featured as an instrumental during a steamy scene in the popular movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High. With flawless performances, songwriting, and production (courtesy of Queen alumni Roy Thomas Baker), the Cars' debut remains one of rock's all-time classics. ~ Greg Prato
Ric Ocasek's songs were influenced by the Velvet Underground and the punk rock movement, but had a slick pop/rock sheen which proved very successful. After a demo version of "Just What I Needed" became a listener favorite on WBCN in Boston (the bands' homebase), they were pursued by record companies. THE CARS was recorded in 2 weeks in London, England.
This ranks as one of the best debut albums from a rock band. The Cars are filed under rock, but they are closer to power pop than any other genre. Ric Ocasek sounded like a cross between the Raspberries and Television, punk sound with a pop attitude. The giveaway was the irresistible harmony-ridden hooks in just about every one of his songs. Listen again to "You're All I've Got Tonight," "Just What I Needed" or "My Best Friend's Girl" and be thrilled. Lots of chunka chunka guitar and Mamas And Papas harmonies, and rarely a dull moment. They managed only six albums in 20 years, but they never bettered this.
In the late '70s and early '80s, the Cars were the commercially acceptable face of American new wave. The fact that they were hailed as both pop breakthrough and aesthetic success speaks volumes about their singular artistic vision. As evidenced by their 1978 debut, they achieved this by combining old (AOR-inspired vocal harmonies and choruses, Elliot Easton's guitar) and new (Ric Ocasek's alienated lyrics and deadpan delivery, Greg Hawkes swooping, bleeping synths, drummer David Robinson's mix of acoustic and electronic sound sources).
In that spirit, traditional rock subjects/structures are given an irony-laden new wave sheen on "Let the Good Times Roll" and "My Best Friend's Girl." At the same time, the Cars ventured further into the future of rock & roll with modoy, futuristic-sounding tunes like "I'm Cars Music | List Price | $7.98 (You save $1.93) | | Category | Rock Albums, Pop CDs, HDCD, Rock/Pop, New Wave | | Label | Elektra | | Orig Year | 1978 | | All Time Sales Rank |  1702  | | CD Universe Part number | 1095197 | | Catalog number | 135 | | Discs | 1 | | Release Date | Oct 25, 1990 | | Studio/Live | Studio | | Mono/Stereo | Stereo | | Producer | Roy Thomas Baker | | Engineer | Geoff Workman | | Recording Time | 35 minutes | | Personnel | Elliot Easton - lead guitar, background vocals
David Robinson - drums, percussion, background vocals
Ric Ocasek - guitar, vocals
Greg Hawkes - keyboards, saxophone, percussion, background vocals
Benjamin Orr - bass, vocals
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Cars Music Review Average Rating: (4.3 out of 5 stars)   A defining moment in music
A revolutionary album, the Cars' first effort has been called their true greatest hits package because most of the material is so familiar. More significantly, it has stood the test of time. "Just What I Needed" is Ben Orr's signature vocal while co-vocalist Ric Ocasek shines on "Best Friend's Girl" and others. Orr's tremendous sound continues on "Bye Bye Love" and "Moving in Stereo."
Submitted by David (Boston, MA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 2 of 2 found this helpful.
THE DEFINITION OF A CLASSIC
What more can be said about the Cars'freshman effort? "Just What I Needed", "My Best Friend's Girl", "Moving In Stereo", "Bye,Bye,Love". Truly great rock and roll with a new wave twist. Only "Candy-O" would equal it, with "Panorama" coming darn close. A requirement for any respectable rock music collection.
Submitted by a reviewer (Kennewick, WA, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 1 of 1 found this helpful.  Rock at its best
The Cars are the cream of the trippy rock crop, and this cd exhibits their crazy skills.
Submitted by El Pedro (Bad Trip, California)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No
 Best Rock New Wave Album Ever!
I guess you should buy this one, this
one is the best out of the Cars top rate. The good songs such as My Best
Friend's Girl, Just What I Needed, &
Bye Bye Love are here and that I could
listen to, however Bye Bye Love is one
track I really like but I don't really
think that's one that the Cars would cover anyhow. Just a great album, need
to buy it.
Submitted by Tonyhwk99 (Napa, CA, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No
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Purchase Cars CD To buy, Click on price to add to cart | Cars Candy-O CD (1979)
Cars
 $5.99   
Live Recording
The Cars: Ric Ocasek (vocals, guitar); Ben Orr (vocals, bass); Elliot Easton (guitar, background vocals); Greg Hawkes (keyboards, background vocals); David Robinson (drums).
Digitally remastered by Joe Gastwirt.
Since the Cars had created a perfect album with their 1978 self-titled debut, it would be nearly impossible to top it. Instead of laboring long and hard over a follow-up like many '70s bands did after a huge commercial success, the band cranked out their sophomore effort, Candy-O, almost exactly one year later from the first LP. And while the album was not as stellar as its predecessor was, it did contain several classics, resulting in another smash album that solidified the band's standing as one of the most promising new bands of the late '70s. The first single, the Top 20 anthem "Let's Go," proves to be the best track, but plenty of other standouts can be found as well. The title track remains one of the band's best rockers, while the gentle "It's All I Can Do" also deserved to be a hit. The band pays tribute to T. Rex on "Dangerous Type" (the main guitar riff resembles "Bang a Gong"), rocks out on "Got a Lot on My Head" and "Night Spots," shows their softer side on "Since I Held You," and embraces modern pop on "Double Life" and "Lust for Kicks." Their second strong release in a row, Candy-O proved that the Cars were not one-hit wonders, like so many other bands from the same era. ~ Greg Prato
On their second album, the Cars take a small step to the left. While remaining a solidly mainstream new wave band (as they would throughout their career), the group gets a bit artier on CANDY-O, with impressive results. Like many of their peers, the band began to accentuate the angular, electronic/futuristic aspect of their sound, exploiting its inorganic quality for maximum irony and detachment.
On "Got a Lot on My Head" and "Double Life," Ric Ocasek seems ever more the alienated geek content to crack wise in a world he made from a do-i
| | Cars Panorama CD (1980)
Cars
$7.09
Live Recording
The Cars: Ric Ocasek (vocals, guitar); Ben Orr (vocals, bass); Elliot Easton (guitar, background vocals); Greg Hawkes (keyboards, background vocals); David Robinson (drums, percussion).
All tracks have been digitally remastered using HDCD technology.
For their third album, 1980's Panorama, the Cars decided to challenge their fans with an album unlike its predecessors. Whereas The Cars and Candy-O were both comprised of instantly catchy and distinctly tuneful songs, Panorama was much darker and not as obvious -- an attempt at breaking away from the expected winning formula. Still, the album was embraced by their fans and hit number five on the charts, although it was the only Cars release not to spawn a true hit single (the closest thing to a hit was "Touch and Go," which peaked at number 37). Standouts included the swirling title track that opens the album, as well as the aforementioned "Touch and Go," which merges off-time keyboard flourishes with some great textural guitar work by Elliot Easton. "Gimme Some Slack" proved to be a fierce rocker, as did the underrated album closer, "Up and Down," while their softer side was represented by "You Wear Those Eyes." Many would consider such tracks as "Down Boys," "Misfit Kid," and "Getting Through" throwaways, but others are strong, just not as well known as some of the other material ("Don't Tell Me No," "Running to You"). It may not be as instantly rewarding as other Cars albums, but Panorama improves with each listen. ~ Greg Prato
PANORAMA takes the forward-looking electronic soundscapes of CANDY-O and fashions them into driving, catchy pop tunes. Its both the most urgent and the most angular of the Cars' recordings, as the band's self-consciousness modernism works overtime to achieve maximum accessibility. If that sounds like a compromise, think again; "Misfit Kid" and "You Wear Those Eyes" are a couple of the most trenchant compositions in the band's career, and the unrelenting power of the h
| | Cars Shake It Up CD (1981)
Cars
$5.99
Live Recording
The Cars: Ric Ocasek (vocals, guitar); Ben Orr (vocals, bass); Elliot Easton (guitar, background vocals); Greg Hawkes (keyboards, background vocals); David Robinson (drums, background vocals).
Recorded at Synchro Sound Studios, Boston.
By augmenting their sound with more synthesizers, electronics, and drum machines, the Cars' fourth release, Shake It Up, helped bridge their hard rock-based early work (1978's The Cars) with the futuristic-pop direction of 1984's Heartbeat City. The band's sound may have been evolving with each succeeding album, but Ric Ocasek was still writing compelling new wave compositions despite all the change, many of which would ultimately become rock & roll standards. The up-tempo title track remains a party favorite to this day (reaching number four on the singles charts), while the melancholic "Since You're Gone" remains one of Ocasek's best-ever tales of heartbreak. Intriguing videos were made for both songs, officially introducing the band to the MTV age. Like its predecessor, 1980's Panorama, filler is present ("This Could Be Love," "Maybe Baby"), but many lesser-known album tracks prove to be highlights: the almost entirely synth-oriented tracks "Think It Over" and "A Dream Away," the rocking "Cruiser," plus the more pop-oriented "I'm Not the One" and "Victim of Love." Although Shake It Up was another resounding commercial success, their next album would be the one that made the Cars one of rock's quintessential acts of the '80s. ~ Greg Prato
SHAKE IT UP, the Cars' fourth album, catches the group at a pivotal point in their career. They teetered on the precipice of overproduction and vapidity just long enough to produce this classic recording before losing their already-contested credibility. The group's trademark detachment and irony seem more like devices than a way of life here, and SHAKE IT UP is certainly the sprightliest, most listener-friendly of all the Cars' albums. The moody electronic textures that en
| | Beatles Abbey Road CD (1969)
Cars
$16.15
ABBEY ROAD, recorded in the summer of 1969, was the last album recorded by the Beatles (LET IT BE was released in 1970, but recorded in early '69).
The Beatles: Paul McCartney (vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass); John Lennon (vocals, guitar, keyboards); George Harrison (vocals, guitar, synthesizer); Ringo Starr (vocals, drums, percussion).
The last Beatles album to be recorded (although Let It Be was the last to be released), Abbey Road was a fitting swan song for the group, echoing some of the faux-conceptual forms of Sgt. Pepper, but featuring stronger compositions and more rock-oriented ensemble work. The group was still pushing forward in all facets of its art, whether devising some of the greatest harmonies to be heard on any rock record (especially on "Because"), constructing a medley of songs/vignettes that covered much of side two, adding subtle touches of Moog synthesizer, or crafting furious guitar-heavy rock ("The End," "I Want You (She's So Heavy)," "Come Together"). George Harrison also blossomed into a major songwriter, contributing the buoyant "Here Comes the Sun" and the supremely melodic ballad "Something," the latter of which became the first Harrison-penned Beatles hit. Whether Abbey Road is the Beatles' best work is debatable, but it's certainly the most immaculately produced (with the possible exception of Sgt. Pepper) and most tightly constructed. ~ Richie Unterberger
After the laborious disorganization and infighting that characterized early 1969's LET IT BE sessions (as famously captured on film), the fractious four were willing to let George Martin take the reins and to work with him as a cohesive unit for the much more succinct production of their (and the decade's) swan song, ABBEY ROAD. The superb performances make the album an artistic high point for all members of the group. Paul McCartney inspired the suite of songs that begins with "You Never Give Me Your Money." Often thought of as two long medleys, the songs that fill most of
| | VH1 Presents The Corrs Live In Dublin CD (2002)
Cars
$6.39
The Corrs: Jim Corr (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Sharon Corr (vocals, violin); Andrea Corr (vocals, tin whistle); Caroline Corr (vocals, drums, bodhran, percussion).
Recorded at Ardmore Studios in Dublin, Ireland in January 2002.
You knew the Corrs had made it when they played the final JFK Awards ceremony of the Clinton administration. Playing it would have been achievement enough, but their status as a happening thing was cemented at the end of the ceremony, during the encores, when everybody was taking their final bows. Bill moseyed up over to Andrea, put his arm around her, and when she was looking away, sized her up -- at precisely the same moment Chuck Berry was checking her out. If that doesn't mean that you've broken America, entering its pop culture, I don't know what does, expect for maybe a VH1-endorsed piece of product like Live in Dublin. Lo and behold, that's exactly what the Corrs received in the spring of 2002, a year and a half after "In Blue" and its accompanying single "Breathless" broke down the doors in America for the U.S. Only two songs on this set list are shared with In Blue, but that doesn't mean that the group returns to their slightly more traditional Celtic roots on the remainder of the songs. Sure, there are hints of that, but there are also four pop covers, two of them ("Little Wing" and "Ruby Tuesday") featuring Ron Wood, with another song, the Lee Hazelwood/Nancy Sinatra duet "Summer Wine," featuring Bono. Some of this is not unfamiliar to the Corrs' repertoire, since they did cover "Little Wing" before, on Talk on Corners (plus an MTV Unplugged release), but the end result is the same -- it's a crossover collection, not an album that emphasizes their Celtic roots. This wouldn't be a problem if the seams weren't so transparent -- if each selection didn't seem like it was a way to expand the group's audience, if it didn't seem like the soundtrack to post-yuppie dinner parties. On that level, it succeeds pretty well, and it is pl
| | Cars Heartbeat City CD (1984)
Cars
$6.05
Live Recording
The Cars: Ric Ocasek (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Ben Orr (vocals, bass); Elliot Easton (guitar, background vocals); Greg Hawkes (keyboards, background vocals); David Robinson (drums, percussion).
Recorded at Battery Studios, London, England.
MTV had become a major marketing tool by 1984, and the Cars were one of the first bands to use the new video medium to their advantage. The band's fifth album, Heartbeat City (Elektra), spawned several imaginative and memorable videos, which translated into massive chart and commercial success, making it one of the biggest releases of the year. Produced by hitmaker John "Mutt" Lange (AC/DC, Def Leppard), the album included two Top Ten singles -- the ballad "Drive" and the charismatic "You Might Think" -- plus an additional two that landed in the Top 20: the summer anthem "Magic" and the eccentric "Hello Again." But it didn't just stop there, plenty of other tracks could have been hits as well, such as the sparse rocker "It's Not the Night" and the breezy pop of "Looking for Love." Other highlights included the ethereal title track, the melodic rocker "Stranger Eyes," and the moderately paced love song "Why Can't I Have You." Although the Cars experienced their greatest success yet with Heartbeat City, it would unfortunately not last for long -- after just one more studio album (1987's spotty Door to Door), the band split up. ~ Greg Prato
Coming off the 1981 hit album and single SHAKE IT UP, the Cars took the next few years off to pursue other areas of interest (Ric Ocasek released his '82 solo debut, BEATITUDE) and record it's follow-up. Buoyed by the high-gloss production sheen of Robert John "Mutt" Lange, HEARTBEAT CITY yielded such hit singles/videos as the the moody, transcendent "Drive," the poppy, almost ELO-like "Magic," and "You Might Think," which hews closest to the band's previous work. Though the band peaked artistically in 1980 with PANORAMA, this was the Cars' commercial pinnacle. Both "Yo
| | Mr Scruff Honeydew (1999)
Cars
$8.25
Cd5
| | Various CD (2004) (Import) Bonus DVD; Japan
Cars
$61.75
Includes a bonus DVD (NTSC/RC-2).
| | Macaco Entre Raices Y Antenas CD (2005) (Import) Import; Spain; Special Edition
Cars
$53.65
2CD special edition divided into "De La Raiz A La Antena" and "De La Antena A La Raiz". Includes 10 bonus tracks.
This two-disc release includes ten bonus tracks
| | Woof: 7 Inches CD (2005)
Cars
$15.29
Various Artists/Woof: Bill Gilonis (various instruments, bass guitar); Bole (guitar); Tim Hodgkinson (Hawaiian steel guitar); Mick Hobbs (bass guitar); Stefan Van Karo (drums); Rick Wilson, Nick Harrison, Sven Halo, Billy Rebel, Ted Barrow, Trevor Goronwy, Alig, Maggie Thomas, Catherine Jauniaux.
Personnel: Tim Hodgkinson (vocals, guitar, baritone saxophone, organ); Rick Wilson (vocals, drums, percussion); Catherine Jauniaux (vocals); Bill Gilonis (guitar, keyboards); Mick Hobbs (guitar); Nick Harrison (flute).
Recording information: 52 Acre Lane (01/1981-??/1983); 52 Rue Paul Lauters (01/1981-??/1983); Balham, South London, England (01/1981-??/1983); Cold Storage, London, England (01/1981-??/1983); Sunrise Studio, Kirchberg, Switzerland (01/1981-??/1983); Ton-Zeit-Ton, Basel, Switzerland (01/1981-??/1983).
One of the Ad Hoc label's first objectives has been to reissue the complete catalog of Woof Records, a small independent imprint directed by Tim Hodgkinson and Bill Gilonis in the '80s. Woof 7 Inches culls the EPs and singles released on the label between 1980 and 1984 by the Hodgkinson/Gilonis duo, the Work, and the Lowest Note. Some of these tracks were already available on CD, but it makes sense to have them all in one place, and the album as a whole makes a very fine listen of British avant pop at a time when the majority were emulating "Mr. Roboto." First up is the Hodgkinson/Gilonis material, home recordings released in 1980 as the EP I Do -- I Do -- I Don't -- I Don't. Harsh-sounding experiments in pop deconstructionism, these tunes are packed with good and not-so-good ideas and provide important context to the history of the Work, a group consisting of the aforementioned two plus drummer Rick Wilson and guitarist Mick Hobbs. From the Work there is a contribution to the 1980 compilation LP Miniatures, the three-track single I Hate America, the Recommended Records Sampler track "Houdini," and the 1992 piece "Scream Circle." All of these are available as bonus tracks on CD reissues of the Work's albums. "I Hate America" and "Houdini" pack a lot of punch, blending punk angst, rock stance, and avant-garde flair. The collection finally comes down to the Lowest Note, a shape-shifting group spearheaded by Andy Bole, Sven Halo, and Billy Rebel. Their songs come closer to the pop format and are extremely rich in arrangements, instruments, and homespun studio wizardry. Included are the tracks from the singles The Lowest Note on the Organ and Piggy Bank; three "outtakes" from Bole's first solo LP, Ramshackle Pier (also included on Ad Hoc's reissue of that album); and a live rendition of "Jane" (retitled "Naiwabi") featuring Bole, Gilonis, singer Catherine Jauniaux, and a drummer. "Jane," "Piggy Bank," and "Trial By Silhouette" still sound as quirky and fresh as when they were recorded. Fans of the avant-garde pop/rock scene that developed in the '80s and '90s around labels like Recommended, RecRec, and even in the first years of Ambiances Magnétiques deserve to hear this material, along with Things from the Past, a similar Ad Hoc compilation culling the material released by the collective MCCB (Mass Culture Control Bureau). ~ François Couture
| | Mayo Okamoto Omoideni Dekinakute CD (Import)
$9.99 | | Barbara Theatre Des Varietes 1974 CD (2007)
Cars
$31.45
Track Listing of songs: Intro; Chapeau Bas; Remusat; Quand Ceux Qui Vont; Drouot; L'indien; Marienbad; Y'aura Du Monde; Perlimpinpin; Toi; Parce Que Je T'aime; Mon Enfance; Mourir Pour Mourir; Amours Incestueuses; La Louve; Le Minotaure; L'enfant Laboureur; Peine; Ma Plus Belle Histoire D'amour; Hop Là; L'homme En Habit Rouge; Mes Hommes; Nantes; Le Mal De Vivre; L'aigle Noir;
| | Underground Hits & Exclusive Bits Three Underground Hits & Exclusive Bits Three CD (2008) (Import)
Cars
$13.15
Third compilation already! Blimey, time does fly, and with it some artists come and go. Over the past twelve months or so, though, weve been lucky enough to hook up with a number of exciting talents and welcome them to the Wah Wah 45s family. This selection kicks off with the smoky vocals of East London chanteuse Stac, a friend of the label for some time now, whos not alone in joining the Wah Wah fold. We also welcome Sheffields Middlewood Sessions, delivering a pair of 21st Century jazz crackers from the North-East, and two brand new signings the incredible Ashley Thomas, and our friends from Brighton, the very soulful Hardkandy - who both have albums coming on Wah Wah 45s in the first part of this year. Other acts continue to progress on the label Luna & Bazis come through with a very hip re-working of the tune that featured on the last compilation, Speeka deliver one of the instrumental highlights off their brilliant Bonfire album, and the Colman Brothers do what they do best with their latest club jazz killer. Our favourite young bucks are also on display with Jamie Finlay dropping a couple of quality cuts (in anticipation of his debut album, Pocket Science, out later this year) and Scrimshire debuting a brand new joint, and vocal talent, with Mistaken. Relative old timers, and the best band in the world, Talc, are back too of course, with a little teaser from their new album Licensed Premises Lifestyle, out very soon too. All very exciting!
| | Markus VAisAnen Taipale CD (2009) (Import)
Cars
$18.29
"Taipale" is the first solo album by guitar player Markus Väisänen. In this Instrumental CD Finnish sauna meets folk-jazz-rock. Seven compositions by Markus have a good amount of improvisation and some famous finnish top musicians are playin on album: Kepa Kettunen (drs), Jukka Eskola (flugelhorn), Antti Vuorenmaa (lap- and pedalsteel) to mention a few.A bit of progressive rock-sound also.
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