Reviews (page 13 of 15)
- Falls off in the second half a little bit - Some great iconic songs on here, a great sound - 3.5
- 2 absolute classics - really solid album - enjoyed the bass
wouldnt ever guess lightning mcqueen can sing like that
Great memories of this entire album. Lots of hits.
Found myself enjoying the deeper album cuts quite a bit. 4/5
Es un álbum interesante, atrapa de la mejor manera la estética del New Wave. All Mixed Up es una chulada. 3.8/5
Short, catchy songs, and a few big hits in "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Just What I Needed" along with other great songs. Funny enough, I just finished listening to an album from The Kinks in 1968 and it's incredible how much music changed in a short period of time, and for the better. It goes from everyone sounding like The Beatles to everyone having a unique sound. Outside of that, I thought this album started stronger than it finished but enjoyed it nevertheless. 8/10
An all-time favorite. Had this on cassette as a kid!
Solid album--didn't realize how many well-known Cars singles were from this one album
Quite fun
Some pretty decent songs. Interesting but not mind blowing.
I already knew and liked over after the songs on this album, and the other half I hadn't heard was great, too. Only song that wasn't on the same level was I'm in Touch With Your World, but otherwise a great album from start to finish.
Great!! I didn't realize how much interesting synth use there is in here, but lots of good songs. Almost the entire album was hits I'd already heard.
How could you not jam
This was a fun listen. Lots of recognizable songs, but even the less popular songs held their own.
Excellent overall album, iconic as always.
Classic. Basically perfect until the last few songs.
Mediokres Rockalbum.
3/5. Not as annoying as I remember, these songs actually stand up to the test of time. However, just a few of them. Half of the songs are perfect hits, the other half are skippable. Not much more to say about this one.
Started off fun, got weird and boring after about five tracks.
So many timeless hits from this one album, so good
This is a perfect record with no misses. RIc Ocasek was well into his 30s when this record was released. A lot of people do not know this. He had been writing and collecting songs for years waiting for this opportunity so he was ready to go with a song cycle of his best songs. Side 2 of this record may be one of my top 5 of all time. Easiest 5 star rating so far.
It’s not hard to imagine having a fantastic time with friends in the late 70s with this album as a soundtrack. Just What I Needed is a favorite. It’s a pretty even album, all fun.
Vibes all the way, men ikke full on bangers
I was surprised for as old as this album is that I know about half of the tracks very well. I'm not quite sure how to classify the cars. They are rock, but not too heavy. They are not new wave, but they had figured out how to integrate new electronic sounds and keyboards with the electric guitar. The opening seconds from the most popular (and best) tracks of the album have great guitar hooks and backing electronic sounds ("Good Times Roll", "Just What I Needed", "My Best Friend's Girl", "Moving in Stereo"). There is some nostalgia in my rating, but this is a solid record. Several tracks are great, and the rest are good - worth playing the whole record through.
So many classics I didn't know came from this album.
Good Times Roll- 5/5 My Best Friend's Girl- 5/5 Just What I Needed- 5/5 I'm in Touch With Your World- 4.6/5 Don't Cha Stop- 4.7/5 You're All I've Got Tonight- 5/5 Bye Bye Love- 5/5 Moving in Stereo- 5/5 All Mixed Up- 5/5 Total- 4.9/5
Never listened to these before, quite enjoyed it
Punchy. A good listen.
meh
I thought it was OK, if not particularly my thing.
Banger after banger. Pretty much every song is a hit. Instant classic.
Let the good times roll, indeed! Another one of my all-time personal favourite albums. I fucking love The Cars and they are so underrated in my circles. This album is fun! But it’s also poetic and profound in its own special way. My god, Moving in Stereo is such a cool and innovative song, it fucking rules. You get good time party songs, a few deep reflective moments, and some awesome new wave vibes. The Cars only get better with each successive album, but they do an impressive job introducing themselves to the listener with this one.
The three songs I knew by The Cars were the first three songs on this record! The Cars are a synth pop/new wave/pop rock band from Boston. Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl, and Just What I Needed are three certified bangers! I was excited to listen to the rest of this album to see how their other stuff stacked up to these hits. Overall, this was a fantastic album. There really wasn't a dud in the bunch. The play with channels (left ear vs right ear), especially in Moving in Stereo was neat. I can see how this influenced a lot of new music. Glad I took the time to listen to more of their back catalog. I may even go and explore more of their albums. Favourite songs: Just What I Needed, Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl, You're All I've Got Tonight, Don't Cha Stop, Moving in Stereo Least favourite songs: I'm In Touch With Your World 4/5
Was actually really good on second listen
A stone cold classic. Like a few other bands of this era (hello, Boston), the debut album from The Cars is practically a greatest hits album. (Yes, they had many other hits later, but still...)
I mean I get that it was revolutionary at the time but it feels so dated today. Couldn't even get through it.
It was good. Not too intense, I knew a lot of the songs.
History
Not for me, but I get it
Paskaahan tämä kolmen suora.. voitto... kiitos kaikki...
I''ll admit that I listened to this album 2 year ago so this is a relisten and I am very biased. Here we go. First 3 songs are solid. I'm in touch with your world is a step down in quality, but still decent. \"Bye bye love\" was also unexpectedly good. This is my kind of sound. Post-punky/power pop sort of feel. Something I really appreciate with this album - it's brevity. 30-40 minute lenght albums are the optimum length. They don't go on too long, but go on long enough to demonstrate talent or lack thereof. So as this album is 35 minutes, this is truly in the golden zone. Overall I'm giving this 3 stars because whilst there were some good songs, the consistency wasn't great - there were plenty of boring songs mixed with the bangers.
Pretty solid album . Lots of hits on here.
I was going to give this a three, but the second half was MUCH better than the first. The mixing is annoying (as per usual for me), but really good songs.
this one is great, so many hits on here. very high 4 just a couple of tracks keep it from being perfect.
The Cars do a lot of different things on this album. There's traditional instruments like guitars, drums and saxophone but there's also synthesizers and drum machines. Very much Synth-rock. Even though they do a lot it's all very mediocre. The songs are somewhat catchy at least.
Easy-listening garage rock with some noisy guitars and sometimes futuristic touch
Held up, but I just didn't love it.
Cute
The whole album is a bit same-y. Moving in Stereo stands out, but is on the boring side. Heard many of these before. Still, pretty fun to listen to.
Easy pop. Yeah, but more than 30 years ago, when the formula was new.
Pretty solid, much better than a three, but undeserving of a four. Majority of the songs were a bop.
Cet album m'a semblé très court! J'étais surprise quand il a été fini. Une ambiance années 80 qui me fait penser à des films et des jeux. C'est daté, au sens où on reconnaît immédiatement la décennie, mais ça n'en souffre pas. Ça dépasse les "hooks" faciles
Torn between 3 and 4 some songs are average some I really enjoy album as a whole was good and do want to check out the Cars after listening.
Classic
Of a certain time. Good skill, but it’s probably not for me.
Meh one very annoying song, rest are a bit repetitive
All of the naysayers need to consider this: 45 years later and most of the songs on this album still get regular airplay. There aren't a lot of albums by any band that can make that claim (that aren't "greatest hits" or " best of" compilations). This is a home run.
Kind of New-Wavey. Considering some of the other albums released this year, this was pretty uneventful. I recognised Best Friends Girl, but nothing else stood out for me. Inoffensive is about the most I can say about this.
This reminded me of early Roxy in places. There's a US college humour. It's the sound of a proper band all working together. It got a little repetitive midway through.
4.5 stars. Wow, one of those albums where I kept hearing hit after hit not realizing they were all from the same artist, much less the same debut record. New wave that is synth-heavy and at times too neat with the tech, but overall great pop/classic rock. Standouts are "Just What I Needed" "My Best Friend's Girl" "Good Times Roll" and the less popular "Don't Cha Stop"
More inoffensive new wave in a sea of inoffensive new wave. Another album to add to the "I'll never think about this ever again" pile.
hey is this goofy. entertaining! very late 70s rock but it doesn't sound so much like everything else of its era that it gets boring. best tracks: my best friend's girl, just what I needed, all mixed up
Lots of radio hits. Still just dad rock
Well, fuck me. I thought I would hate this album. Instead I came away "getting it" for the first. Yeah, deserves all the praise I would previously shake my head at. I don't think I ever listened to this with headphones before, which is probably a factor. The biggest factor is being born in '92 and having the radio and commercials absolutely abuse certain tracks on this album until they felt like inartistic bullshit. I hear all the New Wave now, and I like it quite a bit.
some classic new wave. Just what I needed is one of my favorite songs, but the rest falls a little flat. still solid
God the first songs so bad But there are many hits on this album Torn between 3 and 4
Every single track is great.
Just what I needed.
Only knew the first 3 tracks. The rest was fine.
Quite like the cars, very creative & varied despite always sounding like them. Big fan
A lot of filler in this album, but a few gems
i really only dug a few tracks but i dug those a lot, they’re still a singles band for me but the singles are really choice
Good Times Roll, My Best Friend’s Girl, Just What I Needed 3.5/5
thought id like it more.
This is such an iconic album for me. It's one of just a few titles that pop into my mind when I think of a perfect album. What's immediately impressive is how simple an album is, but also how it's a study in contrasts. Clean and crisp, it's never flashy and still somehow the band delivers a pretty big sound when they want to. It's those outsized layered harmonies set against a minimalist backdrop that should be wrong, but the contrast makes it work. It's also a solidly guitar-forward sound, despite the band's synth explorations. This is a sound that's somehow bare bones and muscular all at once. Baked into it are some of the greatest pop hooks you can find in rock music. This is an album built for blasting out of your car speakers, which I highly recommend. It's another pleasure entirely though listening to these songs (especially "Moving Through Stereo") through headphones, because the band uses some subtle but clever panning effects. The lyrics are crisp, quirky and mostly devoid of sentiment, conveyed perfectly by Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr's slick and aloof vocals. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Just What I Needed, Moving in Stereo, My Best Friend's Girl, Bye Bye Love, You're All I've Got Tonight, Good Times Roll, All Mixed Up, In Touch With Your World, Don't Cha Stop
Good Album with a good lenght! Was a good listen. I enjoyed it
I think an old roommate of mine blaring this album everyday kinda ruined it for me.
holy crap!!! i knew i would enjoy this album, but i wasn't prepared for how much. the cars' new wave is the new wave i love. it's light and synth-y. a lot of these songs are bops! honestly, it was a lot of fun listening. i'm surprised how much of the cars' debut album is well known. i do admire artists who make such a big stamp on their debut, and the cars were no exemption. synth was ballooning in 1978, and it makes a lot of sense that the cars used new wave and synth to define their sound. "moving in stereo" is a good example, because the synth is the loudest part of the song--it definitely drives the song. anyway, 5 stars. no notes.
The Cars absolutely come out swinging here, making this another excellent debut album! The album is chock full of amazing songs, many of which would go on to be big hits for the band and very solid and lasting examples of the new wave movement. Some bands during this time period used synths ironically -- that is, they sounded corny and they know they sounded corny. However, The Cars find a way to make it all sound very cool. I'm not sure what it is, but in a sea of other new wave bands and songs, I can always pick out The Cars. Definitely a great album!
Not my kind of rock
first couple songs were okay but i got into it. kind of Charge! aquabats vibes
Just What I Needed and my Best Friends Girl probably the best known tracks form The Cars debut album. It's a pretty decent album for a debut, l could enjoy this if it was already playing, but it wouldn't be up there as a choice.
It's fun
Great
This was so fresh and new at the time. I still know all the words. Listening to it again I still like it, especially Bye Bye Love: “It’s just a broken lullaby…”
THE new wave album. 5 stars.
Before listening to this, I had a vague feeling that The Cars were a mostly silly band who makes silly music that doesn't quite land for me. This album made me appreciate what they do *slightly* more than just be silly, but to me it ends up sounding 15% too generic, 30% too unnecessarily silly without being charming, for me to really get into it. I appreciated the compositions more, the carefree attitude throughout, but something about this album just turns me off. 2/5 for no concrete reason.
Inte särskilt imponerad.
Debut album recorded in 1978! First 3 tracks were big radio hits: Good Times Roll My Best Friend's Girl Just What I Needed (by far the most listened to according to Spotify, June 2023, over 200 million plays) Another decent hit: You're All I've Got Tonight
Very solid first album. Their sound seemed so developed already.
Net niet lekker 'oud geworden'...
Hier kon ik weinig kaas van maken. Ken alleen het hitje Drive, maar dat stond hier mijlenver vanaf
Altijd wel een zwak gehad voor The Cars. My Best Friends Girl alleen al is 3 sterren waard. En dat de zanger/songwriter jaren later de briljante debuutplaat van Weezer heeft geproduceerd maakt hem sowieso een held.
My local corny-but-delightful Classic Rock station simply would not exist without The Cars and for that they have my everlasting love and respect. Half the songs on this album are songs I get White Guy Stoked to hear whenever they come on at Five Guys or Meijer or wherever and the other half were fun new-to-me tunes that I was glad I heard.
Starts off good, gets boring, then ends well. I wish I could give this a 3.5 but due to limitations of this website it gets a 4 on a technicality. I liked the electronic influence on the later songs.
I do love this album. I think it’s a little unrefined and the songs mesh in an ok fashion, but each stand out. Inoffensive and possibly even formulaic, but we’ll composed
Short and sweet album. Album is kinda uniform throughout, makes me wonder if that last why all the hits are loaded in the front
7.5
COCHES
My dad really really likes this album. I get it.
for the most part dull and uninteresting Favorite Tracks: Just What I Needed, Bye Bye Love 2.5-3/5
it was fun, I liked the beginning of the album more than the end
Absolute banger. Huge fan of 80s new wave. Weird, quirky, dark, punchy. Can’t say I’ve ever heard this album in its entirety, but I like the Cars and listened to many of these songs. Also they’re pretty popular and heard a bunch in movies and stuff before I knew who they were. Love it.
The songs were really good on their own but I couldn't find myself being gripped by it. part of it is the way i listen to the album, i am doing other things while listening that require my attention. i need to just draw or do something chill while listening, because only listening doesn't work for me (yet). overall, really cool sound, i felt like i was in the 80s and in a car ride leading to an adventure. the songs weren't of the most important subjects, like my best friend's girl, but it was fun and amusing
3.5
Decent album, although it falls somewhat flat for me personally. It does have some great stand out tracks like All Mixed Up and Just What I Needed.
Fun
So many classic tracks on this album. The Cars influenced a lot of my favorite bands and records like this one really stand out.
Fun 80s music
Another one I never listened to before this. You can hear their massive influence on bands nowadays. Pretty good, one of my favorites of new discoveries so far.
I mean...every single song on the album is a hit. Not really much else you can rate this album as. Favorite track: Don't Cha Stop
Wow is this great!
If every time someone thought about putting on Talking Heads, they instead put on the Cars, we'd probably have flying cars by now. Pun intended. Wow Doncha Stop is hot garbage though.
Amazin’
solide album. plus synth rock. 8/10
Apart from Drive all Cars songs sound the same to me: light poppy songs without making any impression on me.
Painfully average, I had remembered really enjoying this album growing up but nothing sticks out to me. Still nice to listen to but nothing of substance for me. Like my dad would say, it's bland and inoffensive
offensively boring
Synthy basses and sparkly expressive vocals. Very fun and pretty, joyous to listen to. The kind of album I'm grateful to have been on this list. I prefer this album to their later stuff. It speaks much more to a playfulness. I do think it's a little embarrassing that they're doing brit voice and dont have the excuse of being british.
Nice tunes, i especially liked "my best friend's girl"
Really good album! No skip
Full of hits I recognize, appreciate, and like but don’t love.
Enjoyable and a really good ambassador for its milieu, not really my style.
C'est vraiment bon the Cars j'ai été surpris et c'est une surprise pour moi. Je donne un note élevé car le facteur de réécoute est tr`s bon 4.85
solid
This song has a lot of 80s era bangers on it. I caught myself singing far too loudly to a few of these. Egads!
cute at times but generally boring
Meh.
Other than Just What I Needed, I hadn't listened to The Cars before. But other than Just What I Needed, Don't Cha Stop and All Mixed Up, it's not really my type of music. Don't Cha Stop has a cool guitar track and All Mixed Up is to me more rock'n'roll than the rest of the album.
I've always written off the Cars as boring in the same vein that Foreigner is. However, what I found was a phenomenally well executed new wave/synth pop album that was great from start to finish. This was not boring late 70s classic rock content to coast in the shadow of their betters; this was delightfully weird commercially viable music that was still interesting. The guitar work is great and is tinged by rockabilly influences in addition to more proggy influences. Overall, I came away impressed by this album. It's not the best new wave album by far, but it fills a void between experimental and marketable.
The soundtrack of my childhood with the song that symbolizes puberty to an entire generation. Amazing album.
A very good album. I felt like I'd heard practically every song on this album before at some point or another, but I don't know if that was just false memories. It was really good throughout, though maybe a bit middle of the road in my opinion (pun intended). Pleasant and enjoyable, but not particularly memorable. Favourite: Just What I Needed
Pretty much a perfect pop-rock album. I frequently make the mistake of thinking it a key album of the 80s but, of course, it pre-dates the 80s - which speaks even more highly of its achievement, I think, in setting a strong tone for many other releases that followed it. It's not an album I turn to very often, but every time I do I'm reminded that it's just so damn good!
Right before The Knack killed power pop in 1979 with the mega-success of My Sharona, it would be The Cars that had perfected the sound (Replacements and Big Star be damned). It's peppy without being annoying, giving us a bit of rock edge with some great pop hooks. The one song that will throw the album off is I'm in Touch With Your World, which gets a little experimental before the band snaps back to it's simpler pop roots. Rarely does an album feel so tight and accomplished in it's execution. Any of the songs here could've been hits, but Just What I Needed is a natural pick. Just genius songwriting.
This was alright, very listenable. 3*
Sneaks a 4. The first three songs are classics but it does tail off a bit.
One of the best debut albums in Rock. The band was on fire with some great songwriting and absolutely solid playing. Both Ric Ocasik and Benjamin Orr are on top form with their vocals. The album could almost be a greatest hits
Can't do it. Didn't know all those songs were the cars, but I hate every one of them.
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It was fine but ultimately forgettable.
Best album I’ve heard on here, every song is great
This album is a perfect distillation of the early Synth-wave that would become synonymous with the turn of the decade from the 70's to the 80's. What is more impressive is the sheer number of timeless songs from this single album, when there are only 3 tracks that have under 6M Spotify Streams you are clearly doing something right. While not the most provocative lyrically, this album boasts some inventive riffs and ear-worms.
Stone cold classic
This was fun to listen to while working on the trailer. Like Bruce said, so many bangers! I didn't realize I was familiar with so many of their songs. Would definitely listen again.
This album was probably ground down to its nubs back in the day with how many hits were in the first 3 songs. Starts to get a little repetitive but for a quick album, some bangerz were present.
Great all around. I really liked that last song in addition to all the known classics
Standard Issue Music. Spotify suggested that I “might also like” a playlist simply titled “Dad Rock.” 2.5/5
So many hits from this album. I always liked the Cars but didn’t realize most of their big songs came from their debut album. Classic 80s
I loved this album. If it weren’t for the slight letdowns on the 4th and 5th tracks this might be five stars. Very catchy and high energy new wave with great use of synthesizer. I was a bit worried it was a front-loaded album but it ends great as well.
Classic
Лучший альбом в ню ваве. 10/10
The cars - The cars good times roll - 4/5 my best friend's girl - 4/5 just what I needed - 3/5 I'm in touch with your world - 2/5 don't cha stop - 4/5 you're all I've got tonight - 3/5 bye bye love - 4/5 moving in stereo - 3/5 all mixed up - 3/5 favs: my best friend's girl don't cha stop bye bye love
Generally speaking, I like The Cars, but: 1. By now they're a band best experienced through a compilation album. On its own, and by today's standards, this particular album ranges between the mediocre and the nothing special. 2. Heartbeat City is easily The Cars' best album; I wouldn't have picked their debut as the highlight of their work.
Pretty dynamic, it reminds me of sounds from Queen, Elo, or Oingo Boingo. Probably a good album to listen to while driving. Favs: Dontcha stop Moving in Stereo
A solid and enjoyable pop rock record with some moments of weirdness. It's the more straightforward pop songs that appeal most, though. Sounds a lot more modern than 1978. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Just What I Needed Date listened: 04/05/2
Det svängde
Electric angel rock and roller, I hear what you're playin.
An album that takes me back to my youth. Great music.
This thing is like a capsule evolution of New Wave. Insane line up of heavyweight hits on the A side.
7/10
i got just what i needed
4/9, 44%
joo aivan täysin mitä? mitä häh? mitä tuli kuunneltua? en vittu muista enään...niin saatanan tylsää paskaa taas NEW WAVE WOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LETS GOOOO!!!!!!!! albumin ja bändin nimi sama!!! hyvä merkki!!! wsaaatana....en tiiä vittu mitä' tässä taas sanois.. samaa paskaa syötetään.. ei mikään yksittäinen biisi ongelma...koko albumi vaan korporaation tekelemä-.........niin lyhyt koko tuotos ja ei pysty pitämään kiinnostusta edes puolet ajasta OHHHOHHOIJJAAA sanon vaikka noin just what i needed
Almost every song was a hit and I was surprised that I knew almost every one of them. It was really well done and I can appreciate the craftsmanship and how impactful it is, it’s just not the flavor of music i could see myself listening to regularly.
Better than I thought it would be, but the hits definitely helped with that
Love Tge Cars & own this album. Never gets old.
I like all the songs in this album, I think the songs match perfectly with the singer voice. I love it!
The Cars will always remind me of August 2004 when we set out on what would become a quest to Coventry Vermont. We were doing what at the time was to be the final shows of a well known drug band who shall remain nameless. Anyway, we had only 1 small case of CDs for some reason and one was The Cars. We drive from Illinois to Massachusetts then to Camden NJ then up north to Vermont in the remnants of a fuckin hurricane. We played that shit at least 2 or 3 times a day and it was a parking lot staple. I don't know why but this album is just chock full of all time Cars awesomeness! Best tracks are everything except "I'm in touch with you're world" and "Don cha stop". "Just what I needed" and "You're all I've got Tonight" are top level shit!
3.5
Really enjoyed the first half of the album. Second half, not so much. Also didn't realize how many songs I knew but didn't know they were by this band.
Solid album, with hit songs from start to finish. 4/5
Rock del bueno. Tiene un par de temas copados.
Yup
First track piqued my attention. New wave-ish with hints of other sounds in there. Bit of queen maybe. Second track I'd heard before but didn't realise how much I disliked it till now. Too poppy in a 'trying to be catchy without being catchy' way. Most of the album followed that path. Not terrible, but forgettable.
Just alright
ah, the cars. i love the cars and this is one of my favourite albums. to think that this was their debut album, yet had so many memorable songs is mind blowing. and who can forget the dream sequence at the pool in the movie “fast times at ridgemont high” with “moving in stereo” playing. catchy and upbeat, you can’t help but be in a good mood when you listen to this album. highlights: “good times roll”, “just what i needed”, “you’re all i’ve got tonight”, “moving in stereo”.
Okay. The Cars. Cool. I can name one song by them, this should be fun. - Hello Again - 80's-rific! They said the word car, take a drink. - Looking for Love - I spaced out through this one. No idea what it was like. - Magic - Boppy. - Drive - This is probably on my list of top 100 songs of all time. This is a jam. - Stranger Eyes - Not bad - You Might Think - Spaced out again. - It's Not the Night - This one is pretty funky. I dig it. I feel like it should be behind a montage in an 80s movie. - Why Can't I have You - This one is pretty chill, but his voice is really soothing in this one. Goes on too long though. - I Refuse - This one isn't great. - Heartbeat City - Not bad. Overall a great song mixed in with some 80s vibe. Meh.
Every once in awhile, an artist I like gets a little boring to me and I usually skip their songs when they come on, yet still consider myself a fan of their work. It’s been that way for me with The Cars since Ric Ocasek died a few years back. After listening to this album, that feeling is gone. What a record! So many hits on this debut album of theirs and the rest of the songs are still great sounding.
8/10. I kinda figured this would be one of those albums with a couple hits, and a lot of blah filler, but it worked out to be pretty solid all the way through. Could even consider bumping it up to a 9 if the mood caught me.
First three songs are absolute classics and the rest is alright. Moving in Stereo was probably the next best track. 8/10
I mean... the first few tracks kinda carry it, but those tracks! I think this album is just what I needed? 😆
Yay, The Cars!! i've heard Good Times Roll, and Just What I Needed on the radio plenty of times. The voice is very unique. And I'm diggin the ol rocknroll styel. When music was not all digitized. Moving in Stereo is a good song too!
Just What I Needed is pretty much a perfect track - slick, tight, guitars and drums and synths in perfect unison. Catchy but with a dangerous edge to it. The rest of the album is mostly in the same vein, but not quite as good. The other supposedly 'iconic' singles are new to me and didn't impress me as much as I'd hoped. Maybe hearing them over and over on the radio helps develop a fondness for them? It's still a fun listen though. 3.5
It's not what i usually listen to, but I liked it Favorite tracks: -Good Times Roll -My Best Friend's Girl -Just What I Needed -You're All I've Got Tonight -Bye Bye Love
.Album 1 of 1089 The Cars - The Cars (1978) Rating : 5 / 5 I realized I never gave a proper review for The Cars’ debut album, and that needed correcting — because this is genuinely one of the best debut albums ever made. From the moment it starts, you get hit with a sound that would go on to define an entire generation of rock and new wave. It’s crisp, catchy, and unmistakably theirs. The guitar work on this album is superb — tight, creative, and perfectly woven into every track without ever feeling like it’s trying to show off. The songwriting is top-rate as well. These aren’t just good songs; they’re fully formed, memorable, and incredibly well-crafted. Nearly every track could’ve been a hit, and several were. That kind of consistency on a debut is rare. And the overall style… that sleek, futuristic, hook-heavy sound? It changed the map. Countless bands took notes from what The Cars were doing here. It still holds up beautifully, front to back — no filler, no weak spots, just a phenomenal first statement from a band who knew exactly what they were doing right out of the gate.
If The Cars were a car they'd be a Hyundai Elantra. You'll get where you're going but you won't really like the ride. Overall, a standard, inoffensive--but not very good--album. But then again I'm not a fan of new wave.
An allright rock album.
alot of the solos do it for me, good lead tone and fun licks some catchy hooks , last few songs build in a cool way. Back half def better then the front solid 6.5
Cracking album, pretty unique sound but really groovy.
I mean. It's The Cars. Maybe not my favorite album of theirs, but one that's packed with radio hits.
My review got erased! ERASED! Anyway, you can imagine the poetry but to sum it up - this album is great, is one of those that I associate purely with the 80s sound (even though it's '78, I know I know) and there's barely a dud here. Is there a dud here? I don't know, I don't think so. The cover is a delight. End of poem.
In contention for the greatest debut album of all time. Bought it on a whim in a German airport, as one does. Ausgezeichnet!
Guys? This is just what I needed. Love it. Loses a little steam here and there in the back half, but gosh those guitar sounds are just fantastic and the songs are as catchy as a coldy.
2nd listen was a charm on this one, began to really get into it, especially the 2nd half of the album
Not my thing.
Generally a fun album, I don’t really have anything bad to say but it didn’t amaze me or anything. 3.5 stars rounded up
Great album with absolutely no duds.
Just What I Needed! Perfect tight 80s new wave pop
I was surprised to learn that the singles from this album - Just What I Needed; My Best Friend’s Girl; and Good Times Roll - didn’t chart very high, because they are played a lot on the radio and at events still today. Everyone seems to know these hits. I was further surprised to learn that “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight,” and “Bye Bye Love” weren’t singles at all, because they seem just as universally known/recognizable to me. Maybe my perception is skewed from my parents’ listening habits. This album is full of hits. And it was the band’s debut. It gets a 5 from me.
Absolute OP record
Another case of where the band basically put out a greatest hits album for their first album. Incredible. Not my favorite songs or my favorite band, but the sheer talent and staying power of all these songs is undeniable. The fact that it's their first attempt at an album is ridiculous.
Divertido
I think we have gotten another Cars album on here, but this appears to be the famous one with Best Friends Girl and Just What I Needed, two classics. The rest on here were completely fine. It was an enjoyable album especially with the synths and vocals. Certainly better than some of the prior ones.
I'm almost certain I've heard this album before, maybe it was one in dad's record collection. There's the obvious few hits, but I recognize and love so many of these tracks. I'm not even sure if the Cars did much beyond this album, but they made a solid pop-rock classic with this one. Favorite tracks: Just What I Needed, My Best Friend's Girl, Moving in Stereo, Good Times Roll, Bye Bye Love. Album art: Iconic for sure. The smiling (screaming?) woman at the wheel. I wonder if she's having a great time, or is she about to crash? Could be a dark side to this one. 4/5
Great album
I don’t know if I’m going to give a high grade because of the record of terrible ones, but I do know this album is just great, classic rock. Each of these songs is a hit and amazing.
Not sure I fully appreciated this growing up since *nearly every single song* was constantly on the radio. It was just always there - a constant. Put this in with one of the small handful of greatest debuts in history - hell, it's one of the best albums period. Not necessarily the most imaginative or complex but when virtually every song is pop rock perfection like these - a great sounding combination of cool keyboard sounds, *highly* underrated guitar playing from Elliot Easton, and two lead vocalists.... "Just What I Needed" - top of the mountain right here: the killer guitar solo, the drum turnarounds in the 3rd verse, the ARP-like keyboard lines... Hot damn - these guys could really play. ah just listen to it. Flawless. 10/10 5 stars.
3.5
Amazing album.
Before I knew it the album had ended. I had no memory of any songs. It’s like all of the songs merged into one continuous hum
Had no expectations for this going on (have never of The Cars, and did not recognise any of the track names) I had heard Just What I Needed before and it's an enjoyable track. I did enjoy listening to this on the whole, but not sure it's something I'll come back to. 3.5/5
Great energy and musicianship. Sounds a little dated, but still charms. 7/10
Highlight: Just What I Needed 3,5/5
Zaskakująco przyjemne, ale równie niewyróżniające się. Takie 4=
I tried, aber zu boring
This album to me is perfect
I didn't want to like it but it was hit after hit and well done. 4 stars
Pretty generic 80s. Nothing too inspiring or memorable for me, though obviously a few recognizable major hits
Awesome new wave album
One of my favorite discoveries upon starting this journey! And I shake my head for not giving The Cars a chance earlier.. This is a very solid debut album. Perhaps one of the most iconic front covers, featuring the beautiful Nataliya Medvedeva. The songs have a great vibe and are super catchy. I love the vocal work on the songs, the tradeoffs between vocalists is great. But the stand out part for me is the keyboards and synth work, just incredible! All held together by the solid backing of Benjamin Orr and David Robinson. Favorite lyrics: - I can't feel this way much longer expecting to survive. With all these hidden innuendos just waiting to arrive. It's such a wavy midnight and you slip into insane. Electric angel rock and roller, I hear what you're playin'. - Substitution, mass confusion, clouds inside your head. Involving all my energies until you visited. With your eyes of porcelain and of blue. They shock me into sense. You think you're so illustrious, you call yourself intense. - Life's the same, I'm moving in stereo. Life's the same except for my shoes. Life's the same, you're shaking like tremolo. Life's the same, it's all inside you. Key tracks: Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl, Just What I Needed, You're All I've Got Tonight, Bye Bye Love, Moving In Stereo. 8,5 out of 10
Classic power pop document. First three tracks and ‘Moving in Stereo” are top shelf stuff, the other five are serviceable to the sound.
Front half is super great, back half not as much.
February somethingth 1988. It is a cold winter morning in the mountain valley town of Afton, Wyoming. An awkward 8 year old white boy, with arms and legs that are way too long for him to properly control, dances on a floor covered in baseball cards and dirty clothes with a G.I. Joe action figure in his hand. The action figure, a microphone. The song playing on the boombox, “Let the Good Times Roll”. Clad in his whitey tighties, the bedroom door safely locked, he sang like he was playing to a sold out crowd at The Garden. It would be years before someone would introduce me to The Ramones, The Clash, or the Sex Pistols but I needed something cool now. Something that wasn’t Michael Jackson, New Kids on the Block, or Def Leppard (whatever was cool in my isolated mormon mountain village). Luckily, my mom and dad both had a lot of cassette tapes and I had my own boom box. At 35 minutes long, this album almost plays like an EP. 9 fantastic songs about girls, good times, and loss. Things that I didn’t really understand as a kid. Thank goodness that Ric Ocasek made sure to fill each song with tasty hooks and cool production effects. This album is more than cool for me, it defined coolness. Even, the album art is cool. The bright red lipstick adorned woman behind the wheel of, what must be the coolest car in the world (It has a translucent steering wheel!), is having the time of her life. Every song on this album is a banger, but the standout track for me as an adult is “Moving In Stereo”. The hooky keyboard riff and spacey sounds panning from left to right channel are what do it for me in my 40’s.
Fun, but also not as memorable as our dopamine fueled generation can offer.
Good formative New Wave album. Top songs for me were "Good Times Roll", "Just What I Needed", & "Moving in Stereo" all of which I did know prior.
- Heard this before - Probably the quintessential new wave album - Just What I Needed is an absolute classic - Fav songs: Just What I Needed, Moving in Stereo, My Best Friend's Girl
very groovy and fun, loved the vibes
Hell yeah! One of my favourite albums! The Cars is (are?) one of my favourite bands. There's not a single bad song on this album.
Big fan.
This album is a fun ride, but nothing that really impressed me other than the one hit song I already had liked from it ("Just What I Needed"). Definitely worth a listen, though.
I really enjoyed the vibe on this one. Before starting any of this I felt the 70s were just a musical void. All punk and ABBA but I have been proved wrong. The 70s are one of my favourite decades for music now
Favoritas: -My best friends girl -You´re all I've got tonight
I was surprised by this album. Beyond the singles, the other songs were either good to great without a lot of annoyance. “Moving in Stereo” and “All Mixed Up” stood out. Definitely going to listen again.
Some great rock tunes and a unique blend of rock plus synths. Really still holds up.
LP
Cars is fine. Better movie than band.
First thoughts... they were dicks about CSH interpolating their song. Not my thing, sounds somehow very artificial. Not into it.
really liked it, but probably wouldn't go back. sounds like the midpoint between dadrock, prog and pop. kinda weird
Absurdly catchy, very forward-thinking in that new wave sound, and the glossy production really serves the sound well. But some bits of this are so overplayed it makes me feel like I'm picking up some hemorrhoid cream and CVS.
I mean, some good music and tight for sure. Something about it did not really click unfortunately.
Good music that spans the decades.
Somewhat boring at times although I love just what I needed
Just What I Needed is a great song but the rest of the album just didn't live up to that standard. It was definitely upbeat but I found myself just wanting it to be done
If the album could have kept with the quality the first 3 songs had it would have been 4 stars. Just What I Needed is great but it tripped on it's face and never got back up after that. Still a good album but it could have been better.
I really like this! the first 3 songs are by far the best (and we’re very popular singles) and even though the rest of the album wasn’t quite up to their caliber, still a great enjoyable sound of an album that knew when to end.
Just What I Needed is such a bop but the rest of the album didn’t really captivate me at all and I was ready for it to be over.
13th February 2023 Listened in the day while working from home. Chilled evening watching Merseyside derby. Not what I was expecting knowing only drive but an enjoyable half hour of dad rock.
Favoritas: -My best friends girl -You´re all I've got tonight
Started out incredibly strong, but most of the middle/end of the album is pretty boring. Weirdly sounds like Gary Numan. Honestly they should just stick to straightforward pop/rock. They're so good at it! Album's gotta be a 4 on the strength of the high notes, though. Standouts: Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl, Just What I Needed, Don't Cha Stop, All Mixed Up
Enjoyable enough. Just what I needed was the high point. A solid 3.
Top Gear 🚗
Dette vil bli glemt
Was only familiar with the hit singles (Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl, Just What I Needed) going in, but this was a very solid album front to back.
WHat agreat opener, pretty good - some very iconic stuff. An extra point for longevity. Id listen twice to this.
Nothing special and started to get repetitive
Every other song I heard was like "Oh this is where this song is from? Damn!"
A quintesssential greatest hits band. Whatever you think of the singles, they clearly are all you need. This is not that greatest hits. Two singles, two stars.
Love the synths throughout. Pretty good lead guitars too. Good times roll has a super cool “where’s the one ?” Intro Just what I needed is a perfect rock song. It gets a little weird with “I’m in touch with your world” cool synths and saxophones and stuff. I dig it. Cool bass tone in “moving in stereo.”
I love this record! So many iconic songs on here. Great songwriting and production. Side B is full of great guitar solos. Not a big fan of “I’m in touch with your world” but the rest are great.
I just could not get into this.
On one hand it's got some great hits - on the other it's shallow, slick and glossy. A reflection of its time.
solid effort all around, straight to the point, cohesive, kickass instrumentation, loved it. what a debut album
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: My best friend’s girl, Just what I needed, Don’t cha stop
Eh
Great album full of hooks. Essential to a musical journey.
Dad rock with synths. Inoffensive
why is it that the day i come back to this it's still classic rock
damn - so infectious - such great singles on the first half. the second half has some pretty good bops. im such a huge fan of how good the synth works with their sound. it can be a bit cheesy but damn so catchy. such good little guitar fills/riffs that interact with the rhythm guitar and bass.
70’er rock, new wave, synth, kor, tempofyldt
Good songs in there
This has a MUCH more modern sound than 1978, not wholly my thing but it's impressive.
This was not quite what I expected, thought it'd be more straight down the line pop rock from my (clearly limited) knowledge of The Cars. Synth sounds feel pretty dated now, but must've been pretty ahead of the curve in 1978. Just What I Needed is a really good song, the rest is fine but a bit cheesy, 3/5.
I own this record at home. It's nice power pop, yet I've always wondered what made it so "essential" for some other fans of the genre than me. Some of the songs are catchy for sure. The thing is, they're also a little innocuous, and even a bit ridiculous from time to time. Ric Ocasek went on to produce the first Weezer album. Funny how the two first LPs of the latter band took that whole power pop formula to the next level. In comparison, *The Cars* sounds a little tame today. That said, it's still a milestone in that style, just like the first Big Star album is. In that sense, it deserves to be on this list. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: less than 700, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: approximately a half so far (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter
Bland but brilliant. A great record.
Very listenable. Lots of good songs on this album. I can see they were where a lot of later bands got their influence for rock/pop music from.
It's ok.
Fun album.
Pretty much a perfect album. I've been loving this album since I first heard it when I was either 9-10 years old. Very few albums I can say that about. Easy 5 stars.
One of my favorite records of all time. This and Candy-O never get old for me. The Cars has not one bad song on it. New wave synth, great rock guitar riffs, Ocasek and Orr’s songwriting and vocals… everything is on point.
Just great top to bottom. Almost every song could have been a single.
Listening to this album and I couldn't believe that all these songs were from the same one. From first track to last, this is just a great album.
Probably haven’t listened to this entire LP since sometime in the late1980’s. Holds up well - almost all great cuts - with “Moving in Stereo” and “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” as standouts beyond the released singles. This needs to be back in the mix! Deserving of the list. 4.5 and rounding up for Paulina.
First three tracks are great rock tunes. After that it becomes more generic but is generally solid. You're all I've got tonight stands out too.
Pas une tracklist impecable, mais tellement de classiques sur cet album, le genre d'album qui faut écouter au moins une fois dans sa vie. 4/5
WTF????????????? Someone needs to hold me back. I wanted to kill myself after listening to Throbbing Gristle. The Cars have brought me back from the ledge. I suppose if Throbbing Gristle had been the last album on this list, I would be adequately qualified to die. But I shouldn't hold my breath that number 1001 will be any better than Throbbing Gristle. I think my car just backfired against someone scratching their fingernails across a chalkboard. Oh, sorry, that's just Throbbing Gristle. Every single song on this album is fantastic. The beginning of each song is easily identifiable and just sucks you in. More of this, PLEASE!
Bangerz! Frickin' 7 out of 9 tracks on this album are killer. Definitely an unusual rock / alternative style that is unique and engaging. Great album.
I’ve loved the Cars ever since I was 8, so this is an album that gets played in our house pretty regularly already.
Liked this, but not quite as much as I thought I would. It's solid though. 3.5/5
Simultaneously nostalgic, timely and timeless, all in the best possible ways. Even if you’re not a new wave person (and I’m learning that I’m not), this is worth a listen. Gonna go with A-, cause the middle section kind of drags. First and last thirds are where it’s at
Crap talking heads
Enjoyable enough 80s vibe
Standard eighties fare.
What do you get if you cross Roxy Music with Queen? Yeah, it'd probably be The Cars. Still enjoyable enough. I like the artwork too, happy vibes.
Ya know... The Cars we're so far ahead of their time. I go back and listen to these songs now and I'm completely blown away by the musicianship and the songwriting quality and how just bloody amazing these songs really are. What a great album, what a great time to be alive.
Pretty good in the whole
Best song - you're all I've got tonight Worst song - I'm in touch with your world
Fun album that I haven't listened to for a long while.
Excellent songwriting, production, guitar solos, and many good tracks on this album.
A modern pop-rock classic. Every song rocks. 5 stars.