Cars

Description

Let The Good Times Roll: let’s have some fun! The Cars’ self-titled debut album begins with this hedonistic injunction, the opposite of punk malaise, in the year the Pistols split up. A perfect record for the summer of 1978, it strings together haunting singles and catchy melodies, talks about girls, and makes you want to listen with your elbow on the door of a convertible. Benjamin Orr’s minimal guitar riff, bass/drums, vocals, then synth: a well-oiled machine on the intro to the album’s major tracks, including the iconic Just What I Needed. The Cars’ sonic architect and songwriter is Ric Ocasek. Pop in the melodies but sarcastic in the lyrics. He is also a prolific producer who would be at the helm for Suicide’s second album and would closely follow Alan Vega’s career. But with The Cars, Ocasek would sign one of the very best debut albums of all time, which would remain in the US charts for two and a half years. A masterpiece! HIGHLIGHTS: Just What I Needed, My Best Friend's Girl, You're All I've Got Tonight