Reviews (page 7 of 14)
Album of classics. Loved what I knew, but not as impressed with what I hadn’t. Still good overall. Standouts: Good Times Roll, My Best Friend’s Girl, Just What I Needed, You’re All I’ve Got Tonight, and All Mixed Up.
So many great songs on this album.
this is the good shit
A bonafide new wave classic. They were able to get this out before cheesy 80s synths took over their sound. Most of these songs have been heard hundreds of times just from existing in the world but they still pack a punch. This album has been described as their greatest hits and it’s not far from the truth. After the diarrhea deluge of Lightning Bolt, it’s gonna be hard to not rate everything else 5 stars in comparison. If you start at You’re All I’ve Got Tonight and cycle back around to Just What I Needed, stopping before tracks 4 and 5, you’ve got a 5 star album! But as it stands, gonna have to go with….
New Wave music is inherently dweeby. Some bands build an entire career out of “look, we’re dweebs!” and it’s grating (Talking Heads), but there’s an alchemy where being the right kind of dweeby becomes cool (The Cars). This is monster riffs, bangin’ drums, big harmonies, and lyrics about girls not being interested that happens to be played on relatively new synths and processed to sound like robots made a Clash record. It just works. The radio singles are near-perfect. And there’s a bunch of them. Unfortunately “I’m in Touch With Your World” heads to goofy Talking Heads land.
Fully formed right out of the gate. If I have a complaint, it's that most of the songs sound the same. But when the songs are this good, it's not so much a complaint as it is a comment. I love how quirky they are, with their weird chord choices and almost-robotic vocals. The non-hits were enjoyable, too. A killer debut, but one that I can't quite make myself give a 5. I'm sure they'll live.
While this album, this band was deeply entwined in my formative years, I don't know that I've listened to the complete album since the summer of 1981. My cousin Denise loved The Cars and would spin this on her record player. We would use a lighter to heat up our eyeliner and run in it along the inner portion of our lower eyelids before we let the good times roll! Back then, it was just what I needed.
Yep yep have the vinyl can confirm it's great Some days #1001albums makes me dig to figure out what makes it special. Other days it's obvious. Not just fun to listen to but to play, too. It's physically impossible to play Just What I Needed and not air guitar along.
Das Debütalbum der Band The Cars ist ein Meilenstein des New Wave und Rock und schafft es, zeitlose Hits und eingängige Melodien mit einem innovativen Sound zu verbinden. Songs wie „Just What I Needed“ und „My Best Friend’s Girl“ gehören zu den Klassikern des Genres, geprägt durch clevere Arrangements, eine perfekte Balance zwischen Synthesizern und Gitarren sowie Ric Ocaseks charismatischem Gesang. Das Album zeigt eine bemerkenswerte Konsistenz und Vielseitigkeit, die es sowohl für Fans des klassischen Rock als auch für New-Wave-Enthusiasten zugänglich macht. Seine frische, doch leicht zugängliche Atmosphäre macht es zu einem der besten Debütalben der späten 1970er-Jahre. Kurz gesagt: Ein zeitloser Klassiker, der bis heute nichts von seinem Charme eingebüßt hat!
I love the song "Just What I Needed". This album has several great tracks. It's a little more new wave'ish than I realized, more ties to Talking Heads type sound, but the melodies are more consistently strong.
Oh look, it's 80s Night at the 3B. It's impressive when I listen to an album for the first time and already know all but two of the songs.
Holy cow, those first three songs are serious classics - and most of the album is this fun combo of throwback sounds with an updated feel. Things drop off a bit with 'I'm in Touch with your World' but the new wave/punk 'Moving in Stereo' gets things back on track. Wish that had been the closer instead of the sad boi 'All Mixed Up.'
Well crafted, tight album. Great use of synths in late 70's. Just What I Needed is a recognizable jam.
Fun record. Definitely will listen to it more.
Super catchy and unforgettable pop rock that expertly uses synths and power chords to make the best music to driving around with the radio on. The perfect middle ground between the Talking Heads, Dire Straits & Weezer. A
I really liked this. The combination of the electronic beat and the minimalist vocals is nice.
It has the 80's sound, but is from 1978. Sounds like it is before it's time. I like it, but I am not blown away. 4
This album is a one trick pony, but that one trick is just so good that it doesn't even matter that it's a one trick pony. It's just so catchy and fun, it has the riffs, it has the synths, the drumbeats are simple and danceable, I know I'll be coming back to a lot of songs from this thing, it just makes me feel happy. It's not the "perfect album" (for whatever that means) in my book only because it's not really anything mindblowing + when it strays away from its "one trick" it kinda doesn't work. Best: My Best Friend's Girl, Just What I Needed, Bye Bye Love; Worst: I'm In Touch With Your World, Moving In Stereo 4.1/5
I think The Cars have long established their position as one of the most important bands to the new wave movement which began in the late 70s. But they might be one of the most commonly forgotten ones. I don’t know if their music has had the staying power of bands like Talking Heads or Blondie. And I feel like I’ve heard much less of their most popular songs throughout my life. Once you get past those hits though, and really dive into the deeper cuts of this debut album, you realize there is something great here. I worried after turning on the first song that this would turn out to be a far more generic power pop album than I was initially expecting. But that explosive moment of vocal harmonies followed by that synth in the chorus quelled any doubts I had. If you want to hear some of the best usage of synthesizers from this time period, look no further than the majority of the songs on this record. As a whole, this is such an unabashedly fun and playful set of tracks. Which isn’t always enough on its own. But that willingness to be fun also leads to some really cool and creative production and musical choices. The bass line on Moving in Stereo is killer, and the way the vocals do exactly what the title says is awesome. It’s a breath of fresh air to hear something I don’t have to take so seriously. Because I don’t think that’s what the band members intended for the purpose of this music to be. And it makes me feel nostalgic for an era of music I wasn’t even present for, where new ideas and fun experimentation like this were more the norm. Rating: 8/10
This is good, I quite liked this. I’m not seeing the reason for the 5 stars at all though. Maybe in the right place at the right time I could make it a bigger deal, but I can’t get excited about this.
Tykkään, mukavaa kuunnella, muistuttaa vähän kaikkee, jää siksi ehkä vähän kasvottomaksi. 3,5/5 tai 8/10
I was excited to listen to this and consider how to rate it objectively. I think the Cars are a five star band. But I’m not sure this is a five star album. It’s great, no doubt. And the Proustian transportation that happens when I hear “Moving in Stereo” is special. Loved it. Love it. Great band.
Way more hits on that than I realized! Was a really fun listen not sure I would listen to it again intentionally just because my favorite genre to suit me slightly different. Still some great stuff from a time when I was little and remember hearing some of this music
4.5/5. First few tracks are perfection. Just What I Needed might be one of my favourite love songs of all time. The lyrics, the riffs, the energy… Top shit.
....
Great album!
A debut album where the first three tracks are some of the most recognizable songs from the era? Not bad. The rest of the album is great too. The Cars has a unique sound and were all-around pretty awesome.
I think I would have loved this at a different point in my life, it's simple and stripped down but it just lacks that little bit of substance. Ultimately there's more to like than dislike.
Good album, very prominent
4.5
люблю нью вейв и альбом прямиком оттуда так что сразу одобряю понравился но не особо примечательный,just what i needed уже была в плейлисте и добавила себе последние четыре песни они прям и посочнее и поинтереснее других на альбоме
4.
This felt really ahead of it's time. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
Great power pop - My Best Friends Girl/ Just What I Needed absolute bangers.
Just what I needed. Four stars.
Starts off incredibly strong, but gets a lot lumpier the deeper you dive. The singles obviously propel this debut and solidify its place in the canon, and it’s a bit annoying that it blows its load early by putting them up front. It’s only made worse when “I’m in Touch with Your World,” one of the worst songs imaginable, follows that strong run. After that, it gets better, but even the best songs on Side B (“You’re All I’ve Got Tonight,” “Moving in Stereo”) don’t hold a candle to the singles. The overall track-by-track sum evens out to a positive in the end, sure, but I really can’t undersell how low the lows go. The Cars are kind of a poor man’s Devo, in retrospect, and this debut highlights that, both in the best ways, and the worst. Conversely, this is also the Boomer version of MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular, with some incredible synth-heavy singles and a few very good deep cuts, but also some god awful filler shoved in, yet it still gets well remembered purely because of nostalgia and cultural significance. Whichever framing I choose, I’m still positive, but barely.
Solid album. So many catchy hit songs in one place. Great consistent sound all the way through.
Toca escuchar por primera vez (supongo) esta banda. Ya con su primera canción las voces me recuerdan a Bowie y a Byrne y musicalmente, es una banda full new wave: las guitarras, hasta The Cure pero más luminosas. Discazo sorpresa. Hasta el lunes.
Great self entitled
70 mood
The Good: These cars are not EV! The Bad: People will say that this means they are bad for the environment… The Ugly: Well… nothing really :-) When more than 50% of the tunes on an album are ones that you’ve heard plenty of times and they still don’t tire, then you know you’ve got a great album! Though not a 5* album in my book, this is an album that needs to be celebrated and definitely deserves to be on a Top-50 albums all people should own. 4 1/2*
Second half brought it up to 4 stars for me - Moving in Stereo in particular was a stand-out. Love The Cars, Heartbeat City is my favourite album but this is a fine beginning to their career too. Boston, baby!
What a great beginning to this album. And it's surprisingly deep (helped by being only 35 minutes long). Excellent debut by The Cars.
Solid debut album with several great tracks, seamlessly blends synth with rock
Very decent 8
Life’s the same except for my shoes
Pretty terrific debut, with a bunch of hits and great songs. Almost feels unnecessary given how often I’ve heard these songs, but they’re good enough I don’t care.
First three songs: Pretty dope. I'm In Touch With Your World can jump off a cliff. Literally the rest of this: Also dope. Nothing I haven't heard before but I imagine if I heard it in the context it was created in, I'd be pretty impressed.
- Eine weitere Scheibe, die sich in meiner Plattensammlung befindet - The Cars sind irgendwie eine echt coole Verbindung (und das hört man auf diesem Album) zwischen 70s Rock und 80s New Wave mit ihren Synthies undso. Ich würde hier wieder behaupten, dass die ihrer Zeit auf jeden Fall etwas voraus waren. - Ich mag das Album sehr gerne und finde man kann das Ding wunderbar so weghören. Es versprüht auf jeden Fall eine schöne Leichtigkeit. - "Just What I Needed" ist einfach so ein geiler Hit. Hab den wirklich sehr viel gehört und wird mir einfach nicht langweilig. Finde diesen Lead Synthie einfach auch super. Und soo ein starker Refrain. - An manchen Stellen auch trotz Pop-Appeal immer mal wieder bisschen progressiv - mMn eigentlich ausnahmslos gute Songs, da fällt nix richtig deutlich runter - Super kurzweilig, super gut Rating: 4,25/5
Guess this will have to make up for the absence of the Blue Album on the list…… hmmph. But really, I do kinda think of this as a perfect pop album. It’s so much fun and full of cool, out-of-the-box sounds! Love it!
Just What I Needed is just the most weezer song of all time ... seconding nick's comment that this album is making up for the lack of Weezer on this list! we love Ric Ocasek !!
You can hear the influences and influenced in this so clearly, from Boston and Van Halen to Weezer and Interpol. Harmonies are punchy, keys are in your face, guitars are set to max overdrive. Drops off a bit on side B, but side A warrants a healthy 4 stars.
This sound quality is so crisp, bravo to the producer. I hear hints of Queen in here. Very good
I’m not a huge Cars fan and knew 6 out of the 9 songs. I’d say that’s a very solid album. Some of these are timeless and we’d do a cover of Just What I Needed so that has a special place for me. Also love me a good Elliott Easton solo.
First three songs got me thinking a 4* is the floor for this album...rest of the album didn't hold up well but I'm still rounding up. 3.75/5
Like Boston's self-titled debut, pretty tough to deny. 4/5
“Just What I Needed” was one of the first cover songs my first band played in high school. It was always our favorite one to play along with “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles. Every song on here is so catchy and fun. The Cars had it all figured out from the jump and never backed down from the formula. They really never made a bad album and had hit singles their entire run together. Easy 4.5 for me.
Can there be anymore hits on an album? This one is jam packed. When I think of unique 80's bands, Cars is on that list. Just different than most, but still very palatable. Odd vocals, but it works for them. It doesn't warrant a 5, but on the hits and nostalgia I'll give it a 4.5.
I liked it a lot which surprised me because I generally don’t like that style of music
Hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Cooler Sound. Songs der Playlist hinzugefügt: Good Times Roll, Just what i needed
Classic
Yep I liked this, especially the opening half.
4.25
7.5/10 Nice new wave with plenty of power pop and Talking Heads style Much more of a take on hard rock and metal than I expected Excellent vocal harmonies A lot of production here, it went big Best: All Mixed Up
What a stacked debut album, hit after hit to open it up and some good workman tunes to fill it out. This lives somewhere in the end of "classic rock" and the beginning of "new wave". While i usually hate new wave this felt like an acceptable amount.
Has some absolute bangers, the singles obviously as well as some album cuts (All Mixed Up & You're All I've Got Tonight) make for an engrossing listen. "I'm in touch with your world" is quite silly, the dissonant riff is nice enough, but maybe not touch all of the buttons with the "sound effects" setting on, on that brand new synthesizer you just got.
I fkn love this album! It's a classic 70's rock album. Been a while since i've listened to it, so that was a nice trip down memory lane. How good is music!!
Rock n roll, baby
Debut de una banda histórica de finales de los 70 y los primeros 80. Portadas icónicas. En mi opinión no están al nivel de Blondie o The Police, no digamos ya de los Talking Heads o The B-52´s uno de mis grupos favoritos, pero su Power-Pop es muy disfrutable con My best friend´s gilfriend o el eterno e imparable Just What i need it. Los teclados de Bye bye love... excepcionales. Tuvieron una enorme influencia en la New Wave, de la que fueron uno de los puntales, y en las música indie de los 90 (Weezer o Guided by voices sin ir más lejos). Sus videos fueron pioneros. Ocasek es un reputado productor, visionario y muchas más cosas. Otros discos del 78: The Man Machine de Kraftwerk, debuts de Kate Bush, Pere Ubu, Magazine, , Public Image Ltd., Dire Straits, Police, The Only Ones, Devo y Siouxsie and the banshees, (también Chris Rea y Midnight Oil), así como discos esenciales: C´est CHic, Plastic letters y Paralell Lines, Some Girls, This year´s model, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Incantations, Équinoxe, Ambient 1: Music for Airports, All mod cons, Some girls, One Nation Under A Groove, Outlandos d´amour los directos de Cheap Trick, Thin Lizzy, Bob Marley, AC-DC y The last waltz, e incluso Grease.
Die Debütplatte der Band ist ein interessantes Stück Musikgeschichte. Mit einer Mischung aus Rock und New Wave schufen sie einen Sound, der seiner Zeit weit voraus war. Dies macht das Album nicht nur zu einem Zeichen der ästhetischen Weiterentwicklung der 70er Jahre, sondern auch zu einem zeitlosen Klassiker. Besonders hervorzuheben sind die Tracks "Just What I Needed", "My Best Friend's Girl" und "Good Times Roll". Diese Songs sind meisterhaft komponiert und kombinieren eingängige Melodien mit cleveren Texten, die sowohl nostalgisch als auch frisch wirken. Der Stil des Albums ist von einer gelungenen Synthese aus elektrifizierenden Gitarrenriffs, rhythmischen Keyboards und einem unverwechselbaren Groove geprägt. Diese Elemente zusammen ergeben einen charakteristischen Sound, der ebenso rockig wie poppig ist und viele Einflüsse der damaligen Zeit in sich vereint. Im Großen und Ganzen ist “The Cars” ein Meilenstein, der beweist, dass gute Musik zeitlos ist.
Another new group to me and another one to add to my favourites; how did I miss this one! Tracks are varied in style so no boredom and they have great arrangements and production. One of the vocalist sounds at times like Brian Ferry from Roxy Music so that can't be bad! The instrumentalists sound good too. I like this kind of music genre and this album is an excellent example of it.
Surprisingly good! I only knew "Drive", but this is different and much more up my alley. Will definitely revisit this!
Pretty solid.
Cant believe they're American. Queen, Bowi, Stones influences. Much better than expected. Unlikely to seek out but happy to listen to again. Really tuneful
Another album where you can hear how it influenced future hits. Every song was a banger, but generally not something I would go out of my way to listen to again. 4/5
I was kinda meh about this in the beginning but by the end found myself wanting more… will be listening to this one again
Relentlessly fun with juicy melodies and better restraint than most poppy new wave
Every song sounds basically the same, but at least it's cool. Would've lapped this up if I was 30 years older than I am.
easy 4 😮💨
El cierre del álbum esta increíble
I knew most of these songs, though it ended more quietly and moody than I anticipated.
Sparkly new wave beauty.
When your debut album is a literal greatest hits album. The Cars released a few other albums after this but I don't think any of them were as instant of a classic as their debut.
Great debut great tunes. Strong album throughout. Loved closer all mixed up
I didn’t realize how many Cars songs I knew
The Cars is one of those bands I always thought were just alright, but I gotta say, this is a shocking amount of hits on a debut album. Moving In Stereo and All Mixed Up are certified bangers, even if some of the others don't quite scratch that itch.
pretty good ig. i understand why my mom would own a compilation cd of their best songs for an album from the 70s the synths actually don't feel very dated. there some really cool modern-ish synth design on here its really impressive tbh.
1st song- I like it but its just it little bit of singing so yeah 2nd song- I like it to because it sound so cool 3rd song-i like it cus it sound so coollll
Do you like upbeat rock music? Then this album is for you! In my opinion, I like this album. I like the beat and the background music. It has a good rhythm to it as well. If you ever have a chance to listen to this album, then I think you really should! It's an awesome album!
I feel like this would be a summer album today. it's fun and short.
I never really "got" The Cars before. I knew 4 of these songs really well and a fifth I feel like I've heard. This album is filled with candy-coated power pop that I always assumed was 80s but a closer listen reveals it's very much rooted in 1970s guitar-based music, played by people with a love for the synthesizer. Having grown up with several songs by this band as a constant presence on TV and in movies, I didn't realize that I'd never truly listened to them. This is an impressive debut album. The "other songs" on the album are really good. In my opinion, this band towers over other acts known as new wave. I'm glad I listened to this album.
how can one band be this fun of a bunch? "let the good times roll," they surely did
I love an album where there are better songs than the hits or singles and this was one of those. Real proto weezer type vibes. Compact album as well.
Classic rock sound. Definitely saving for later listening.
Oh man I would have never known to give credit to the Cars for all these kickass songs! I could do without a couple of the ballads, but they’re still cool dudes and I hope their parents are proud.
the types of people that hate this album are the people that hate fun
An unmistakable sound, instantly recognizable. A fun bunch of hits, great use of synth, classic album. Bye Bye Love is an eternal bop.
Kinda loses it’s energy through the album but still good tunes.
Cool upbeat radio music. Stand-out: All Mixed Up
Me likey
This is what I expected from something called "The Cars": An irresistibly road-trippable version of Pulp.
Didn’t realize how many good songs this album had. Love the instrument use.
Love how you can feel the early transition of the 70s to 80s through the whole album especially the bangers
Its influence is very obvious, lots of hits, fun album.
I can’t deny what a hit factory this album was. I knew 6 of the songs while at the time only knew 2 were from this band. You have my respect, Cars. Not the movie with Larry the Cable Guy, that franchise can suck a dick.
Ric Ocasek and The Cars were a hit machine. So many recognizable songs on this album. Not all great, but certainly have the staying power.
Only knew one song before this. Great album! Seems ahead of its time, I thought this was an 80s release before checking the date. Lots of great tracks, really a good listen all the way through, with serious musicianship throughout, especially guitar and keyboards.
This has got great New Wave vibes - I love this era. I mean the 80s had bands like this without the integrity. It's quirky and inventive with a sense of fun.
This had me going for a moment. between the classic rock stylings underneath the synth, a majority of the tracks being about affection towards a girl, and the album speeding by at close to 30 minutes. I thought someone had just dipped The Everly Brothers in a coat of New Wave paint and tried sneaking them back on the list. To be fair, I liked this quite a bit more than that album. Especially on a repeat listen. Highlights: Just What I Need, Moving in Stereo, All Mixed Up
Good Times Roll - very ordinary tune My Best Friend’s girl - song kinda sucked, instrument work saved it for me. Particularly the guitar and keyboards Just what I needed - banger, sounds awesome instrumentally, synths, drums and guitar riffs and solo are all on point. Catchy vocals. I’m in touch with your world - this starts off very goofy, we get glimpses of some sick guitar work and synths, which are nice. Just a goofy ahh song with great technical proficiency instrumentally and on the production end. Don’t Cha stop - fell off for me quite quickly after a briefly strong start You’re all I’ve got tonight - Liked this one instrumentally, great guitar and drum work. Bye Bye Love - Synth solo, yes thanks. Great track, liked this one quite a bit Decent album overall, instruments were very sharp with interesting bits throughout. I particularly liked the second half. If not for Just What I Needed it’d be a blowout in favour of the last 6 tracks.
This album is pretty ahead of its time, you could have told me this was made in the early to mid 80s and I would have believed you. Opens strong with Good Times Roll, Best Friend's Girl (the best song on side one) and Just What I Needed. The latter has definitely been overplayed for me but it doesn't stop it from being a great song. I'm in Touch with Your World is a change of pace that I really don't like and I found myself skipping this one as soon as it plays on repeat listens. Don't Cha Stop is a nice return to form and closes out the side neatly. Side two is stacked, there is only one hit from here but the quality of the album here is just better. There is no point talking about the individual tracks here (they're all great) because all I am going to focus on is Moving In Stereo. The fun production of fucking with the L/R channels is cool (and hasn't lost its novelty after 1000+ listens), the lyrics are succinct, the instrumentation rocks. This song is the reason this is a great album. All in all, a really good debut album from a band whose sound would become influential to pop music that came after it. Even I'm in Touch with Your World isn't a bad song, just one that I feel doesn't fit the flow of the album. Each song here is crafted with care, a lot of albums seem to be a vehicle for a hit song and the filler that is packed in is unimaginative drivel. I am genuinely impressed with the artistic effort that went into making this album so varied and adventurous. In the year of 1978 when the top 100 was dominated by Bee Gees, the fucking Grease soundtrack and the kiddy-diddlers at Sweet, The Cars deserves kudos for doing something genuinely innovative. Big ups to Roy Thomas Baker on the production here.
fun album classic
YESSS! This is a fun one. Refreshing. I needed it.
Oh right, I've heard of The Cars. Wait, why do I know every word to this song (My Best Friend's Girl)? It's one of the biggest belters of all time and was on a compilation that we used to listen to in the car when I was aged between 7 and 12! The rest of the album can't match up to Proust's madeleine, but it's still very good indeed.
Solid power pop. Good fun listen
Favorite track: My best friend's girl Other picks: good times roll, just what i needed, im in touch.
Pure pop confection, with clean lines, like a starched collar that's up.
Starts so strong but then gets quite boring. Just What I Needed is one of my favourite songs of all time which makes me raise this score a bit to a 4. The production is great and everything Sounds good, I just find the hooks aren't as strong as the album drags out
Solid
So ch a strong debut, it starts like a greatest hits with 3 big tracks right up front, but leaving You're all I got tonight for the middle. It's fantastic production and song writing and can only imagine the impact it would have had. My first intro to The Cars was Heartbeat City in 1984 with its huge radio hits, but this debut is very groundbreaking new wave album.
I really liked the "The Cars" in the 80s but have never listened to this particular album. Still, it is so obviously "The Cars", but maybe without a last finishing touch. I liked it.
I liked the use of synths. Easy listening.
Easy listening soft electronica. A couple of recognisable hits that have made the playlist
I didn't realize how many classic rock songs came from this one album.
Every song on this is perfect except the very last song. But yeeeeep I love this album it has like 5 or 6 songs that either are singles or could be a single
This album shocked me with one really good song after another. I remember the band and some hits, but hadn't heard the album Goid stuff.
One of my mom's favorite albums.
I thought this was pretty great. The first 3 songs just keep getting better and better with "Just what I needed" the obvious radio hit. I thought I'm in touch with your world was a disapointing shift but it came back strong on the B side with "you're all i've got tonight" Overall, this is a style of rock that holds up well and this album is an exceptional debut.
Everyone knows the first three tracks, and they are all pretty great. It turns out the whole album is pretty great. The style is simple pop rock infused with that bit of new wave that keeps it interesting. "In touch with your world" is the only truly weird track and even then it's completely fine as an album cut, just not a radio tune like pretty much the rest of the album. "Just what I needed" is my favorite, but "Bye Bye Love" is probably the second. The hooks in both are just perfectly built through a tiny bridge section of a few bars and they both have a sweet synth in them that keeps it fresh. I really enjoyed this. It'd be a 4.5 if I could do that.
Yoooo this was pretty good. I'd give it a 3.5 but I'll round up to a 4 because it was short and sweet and let it play through multiple times. divorced dad music for sure worst song: Good Times Roll best song: all mixed up
# Playlist track - You're all I've got tonight # Notes - Never heard those guys before. Since I was too lazy to come up with this entry, I ended up listening to it for a couple of days, and I ended up enjoying it. - It's not an amazing album, but I kind of like it! - Won't change your life, but it's fun and well worth the listen.
1st 3 songs are all radio hits. 'Moving in Stereo' is one of my all time Favs. Excellent album: 8.1 out of 10 (in my opinion)
I find the synths and what not of nu-wave hard to get into but this was actually really good. 4*
Oh I liked this! Great songs and not as cheesy as expected.
It's a hell of an album for a debut. But I think that comes as a standard from a great bands. You can say it falls into a dad rock category... Whatever... It's good. Very good. 4.5/5.
Don’t let the new wave tag fool you, this is dad rock in disguise. But damn, this still has an effective pop punch I can’t resist.
Unique sound of my teens and 20’s. I’ve always liked them. Never my top tier, but I like listening to them every so often
Moving in stereo
Favorite Track: Moving In Stereo
This one was cool. Cool synths and stuff, the two closing songs were good as well.
Lovely, jaunty album. Hard to pick a favorite song! But if I had to choose, it’s the classic Just What I Needed, with honorable mention to Moving in Stereo.
meh
I am naive and didn't realize all the hits The Cars created, but hearing them all together the voice is very obvious (how did I miss it!). This is one of those hard one because now its so mainstream, its hard to think of it at the time. Really thinking it is a mix of rock, mixed with pop,...but there are also little pops of country and sock hop, making it a quintessential 80s sound, a sound they helped create. I have always love Just What I Needed. It was all so fun 80's..I just want to dance along with lots of smoke, big hair, a shiny clothing, laser lights and wind.
Good Times Roll - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My Best Friends Girl - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Just What I Needed - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I'm in Touch with Your World - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Don't Cha Stop - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ You're All I've Got Tonight - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Bye Bye Love - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Moving in Stereo - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ All Mixed Up - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Total - 35/45 Percentage - 77% Rating - 3.85
This is great! I didn’t realize all these hits were from the same album, let alone their debut.
One of my Favs when it came out. Chock full of hits - too bad they never really tour, and Ric is dead, so... that's it. Love the song mix in You're all got Tonight mix to Bye, Bye Love (my fav on the album) to Moving in Stereo 1 point for its place in history
4.25
Vroom vroom
Fun, synthy, classic rock. Singalong choruses and catchy tunes, what's not to like? Doesn't strike me as super groundbreaking but the first 3 tracks in particular are bangers.
This had some nice new wave tunes but it lacked the chaos and brilliance like talking heads for example.
Reminds me of dad
Let the good tunes roll! This is a banger of an album. That is all.
The cars had/have a sound that has not yet been replicated. Unique to them, so, that any attempt at recreation would be labeled “derivative” immediately. However, originality doesn’t always equate to quality. Often times this album suffers from the feeling of repetitiveness solely for the reason it sounds new, but new all in the same way. I may not be making complete sense, but range is what I’m talking about. Lead vocals unmistakably belong to The Cars. Instrumentation is fresh enough for the time. The tracks themselves are fun, but mostly forgettable after the first three. I wouldn’t look forward to listening to this album again. 4/5
This album was a blast. The Cars were such a fun band and this album is the best showcase of that. All the singles off it are great
Fun. It rocks. Couple of big hits.
Start to finish this album pops and rocks. Really fun to revisit, those hand claps are perfection. Seems they should be a bigger band.
first listen i didn't expect to like this but i really do
Memories of roller skating rinks and Casey Kasem. I'm surprised that almost all of the songs on this album were recognizable hits. It's interesting that they put this out in 1978, I always associated the Cars to the 80s. Points for being ahead of their time. A solid B in my book.
A classic!
4.2
Man, I’m not sure but I feel like The Cars set the stage for the 80s pop explosion about to happen. Love this album!
Great riffs!
An amazing album from start to finish!
Why am I getting so much 70s British New Wave Rock. Well it's not like I don't enjoy it. 'Just What I Needed' hoo-wee. 'You're All I've Got Tonight' has some strong blues influences that I'm funking with. 'All Mixed Up' is a wonderful way to end this. This is the kind of music I would dream of making if I was born in Ireland in the 60s.
Perfect '80s pop. This album really did write a few chapters in the book of how to write a great song. I can hear it's reach of influence across a lot of acts I love. I did find a couple of songs sound a bit dull or dated hence 4 stars
Very accessible radio friendly rock/pop but very well done.
New Wave at its finest
Favs: "Just What I Needed", "You're All I've Got Tonight", "Bye Bye Love",
The Cars, by The Cars, is a quite nice album. It feels kinda upbeat for rock, but I don’t mind that. Just What I Needed gives off serious road trip vibes, and is definitely staying in my playlist. Bye Bye Love has some cool guitar riffs, and sticks out for me in this album. I didn’t like the middle tracks as much, like I’m In Touch With Your World. The opener, however, was trill and really good. Overall a great album.
I remember when this album just came out. The Cars sounded like nobody else I had heard before! My intro to “new wave” music. Makes me smile to see this album cover. I think Candy-O, which was released one year later, is a stronger album, so I can’t quite give this one five starts. Close though!.
Amazing 3 songs to start off the album. A bit of a lull after that but still a great listen. 7.5/10 (3.75/5)
I really dig this album. If it weren't for one or two songs, I'd call this perfect for me. 4.5/5
One of the highlights of the New Wave movement, even though the genre is (more often than not) pretty bad and invariable. The songs here are incredibly catchy, often using synths to their full potential to get some seriously catchy riffs. The first three tracks in particular are great - what I would call "pop standards". They aren't necessarily interesting or virtuosic, but they're a darn great time, and I could easily see them being covered by lesser New Wave (or even alt-rock) bands in the years to come. The singing and drumming is just a little immature, in the sense that the beats used aren't particularly creative or inspiring. I've heard each of the individual elements before, such as the drum fills, chord progressions, melodies, and so on. In addition, all of the tracks are so packed with energy that it doesn't quite capture that "perfect album experience" I'm looking for. 4/5 Key tracks: Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl, Just What I Needed, Moving In Stereo, All Mixed Up
Schysst blandning av synthpop och rock. Synthen carryar lite men det är bra med något extra. Några schyssta låtar. Hade lyssnat ”Just What I Needed” sen innan så jag visste ungefär vad det skulle vara. Är inte besviken. Lyssnade när jag körde moppe till och från jobbet och kan säga att det var ett bra moppealbum, säkert ett bra bilalbum också för den delen. Snyggt omslag. Lite tråkigt namn då men så petig behöver man inte vara.
Not bad!
Melodisch - eine perfekte Mischung aus Rock und Pop - sehr guter und klarer Sound - macht Spaß
This was a lot of fun. Banger after banger! Who knew! Super enjoyable, a nice lil surprise from 1001 albums.
Mi piace molto 'You're all i've got tonight' e in generale è un piacevole ascolto.
Combines the massive pop sensibility of an arena rock band with the dorky approach of a New Wave band overflowing with catchy melody and bright sounds. There's a fantastic dynamic between the synth parts and the guitar, a classic garage rock/power pop Vox AC30 sound: tight, dry, compressed, lightly overdriven for big midrange crunchy chords and quick and dirty leads. The synths give a bit of quirky flair and silliness, an at the time modern sound that now dates it (in a good way) - while the guitars ground it solidly back in radio rock. I've heard so many of these songs so many times, but never listened to the album through so never realized how tightly they all fit together and what a punchy and polished set it is.
Just What I Needed
Perfect. Everything where it needs to be.
I like the album cover, songs were nice too (except for I'm in Touch with Your World…). Pop/rock music will always remain a favourite genre because it's generally always melodious and catchy, and this is no different. I feel like this is pretty inoffensive music, so my opinion on it is probably a very standard one - plenty of bangers, easy listening, etc. A good 4
Lovin the album
This has always been on my to listen list, but I never got around to it. The only song I was surprised was not on here but Cars, but then I remembered that was Gary Neumann and not connected to The Cars. It was very nice to hear some early new wave/pop crossover.
In the early 2000s I used to go to a walkdown in Soho that only played classic rock. Very old school, you knocked on the door and small grill opened and a voice barked ‘members only’. Once you’d established you weren’t from the Council or the Police you signed in with an illegible scrawl. This is the kind of music they played, and it was loads of fun. The club still does the ‘members only’ thing, but it’s now a faux speakeasy serving cocktails out of vintage china cups. This album is corny dad rock, but some of the tracks really do the business in a way that cocktails in china teacups just don’t. Favourite: My Best Friend’s Girl
Very good album. Short and sweet. No bad tracks. Entire front half of the album is hits. Made me realize how consistently good The Cars are as a rock band.
the album that birthed a thousand songs to be used in commercials, it's just THAT good
This has up on a number of youtube and internet articales to listen to, I must have missed the band when younger as I don't know them, however I may have heard singles on the radio over the years. Stand out tracks: - Let the good times roll - classic rock beat - My best friends girl - Don't cha stop - Bye bye love - Moving in stereo - All mixed up
Was meh before I read the reviews. After they told me what to listen for, it was much better.
3.5⭐️
Very good album with some really good songs. Probably just on the 4 side of 4.5
All in all, this was a surprisingly decent album! I could listen to it again.
Great album that takes me back to being a kid in the early 80s. This album was everywhere. Each song unlocks a different memory for me. Music can be magical.
Y'know, maybe it was just the state of mind I found myself in today—very tired, I guess 'cuz I forced myself to wake up earlier than I had been recently—but I'unno. This album just didn't blow me away. Of course, the one-two-three of the opening tracks are great (that's where "Just What I Needed" comes in, after all). Everything else, though... Eh. Kind of all slid together for me. And I'll grant, I could just been in the wrong head to take it in properly, although I have the impression I wouldn't even if I hadn't got conked out hard when I laid down on my bed while playing this album a second time. Still, I wanna give this thing a 4, thanks to those first three tracks. They're good times, what can I say? Otherwise, eh, it really woulda been a 3 from me.
A very good slice of new wave. Besides the obvious hits at the start of the album, these tracks all just have this infectious energy to them.
Not every song on the album is a winner, but it’s damn close. I’ve always had a soft spot for Just What I Needed.
One of my favorite classic rock albums. Just the ideal of this era of rock. The basics hit so good!
Rock buenaondita, punk con influencias de Queen.
Album starts off really strong with 3 great tunes. Perfect new-wave and synth pop album.
I liked this. Just a fun, feel good pop album. Some days that's just what you need.
Very enjoyable stuff. Had heard My Best Friends Girl Before, and the rest were good too. Shit band name Simpsons: No
Short, sweet, and just good music. One of Kenzie’s favourite, in fact she’s got it on Vinyl
classic banger, after classic banger
Fuckin epic
Sooo this is much better than the usual Americana fare on here. What a nice surprise tbh. A good wee pop album. I may even listen again
Loved it - solid album that holds up over the decades.
Iconic and enjoyable. Late 70's into 80's and sounds like it. Whole album is strong
More bangers on this than I realized.
Really tight sound. Fun melodies and guitar riffs.
This was such a decade-bending album. Some tracks and bars felt like the 60's, some the 70's, and some the 80's. It felt very much like this album influenced a lot of the 80's key defining stylistic features. Since I'm not usually the biggest fan of the 80's, that was almost a knock against this album in a "So it's THEIR fault!" mentality, but even so I can't deny that this album was great. Every song was a bop and had a lot to say.
Great songs.
the first album here that I've been pretty familiar with beforehand. this thing is stacked for all 35 minutes of it's run time. it's got some of the strange icy nature of post-punk, some of the simplicity and riffs of punk, some of power pop's ear for melody, and, importantly, a lot of tasteful new wave synths to fill out the mix. they clearly drew from the best of 60's rock and 70's punk but had plenty of their own ideas (the epic organ synth on You're All I've Got Tonight, the bizarre sound effects on I'm In Touch With Your World, the playful synth in the aptly-titled Moving in Stereo). every pop punk or garage rock band ever (hi Weezer and The Killers) owes something to The Cars. rarely does something this radio-friendly have this much quality but that quality is evidenced in how brilliant the last 4 songs of the album are. on their own, You're All I've Got Tonight and Bye Bye Love rock (I love Ric's melody when he sings the lullaby line right before the chorus), but the transitions between the four tracks elevate them significantly. Moving In Stereo keeps the energy with some genius synth melodies, throwing tremolo effects on the vocals and panning the synths in and out of channels. Ric Ocaseck's vocals get so much darker on the B-side here, it's a real joy. All Mixed Up is fittingly a little bit of a mess but at its core the synth drives forward the song with a haunting urgency and gives way to Ric's best vocal performance on the album. this is really such a pure set of songs, it's a joy to listen to what is surely amongst the most defining albums of the entire 80's.
I liked it a lot, really enjoyable and interesting. Might be a 5 after another listen
An absolute classic of what we now call classic rock and one of those albums that influenced a thousand others. The album starts with unsustainable greatness, with three big hits in a row including the incomparable Just What I Needed, a perfect rock song. I think the middle of the album drags a tad, which I’m sure many would disagree with, but it finishes strong with Moving In Stereo and All Mixed Up.
I knew a lot of these songs and they're all pretty good, an easy listen.
Some great rock hits on this one
It was fun listening to this album. But I remember how oversaturated the radio waves were with these pop songs. They played the same songs constantly on all the radio stations until you got tired of them. I was so happy when I discovered the Brown U station (WBRU) that played stuff you never heard on the commercial stations. This was a nice trip down memory lane.
So much fun. I never realized how much The Cars sounded like Devo. Was that just the sound of the day, or what?
The Cars made great, punk-inspired pop songs. Their clean, guitar driven sound uses synthesizers to fill out their melodic, catchy tracks. Ric Ocasek's vocals have a distinct sound, which help define the band's sound. This self-titled debut album has some of the hits that propelled the band to stardom, like "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Good Times Roll."
Fun album! Strong from front to back.
Who knew they were so good? Should have known the album would be since 1978 was a great year.
Everyone (rightfully) hypes up Loveless, but this album also deserves heaps and heaps of praise. Less shoegaze than what came after, it's really fun to see MBV in more of a traditional indie rock sphere. The AA cut of this vinyl is simply incredible as well.
4.75
Used to enjoy playing this in guitar hero (drums) Recently gave this a listen again on my own, casual. Let’s give this a whirl! Real time notes: clean production. Good medium groove to start. Like the vibe. Such 80s vocal tone ugh Second song - bopper. Third - so 80s. Another just everywhere ‘hit’. This album is easy to play in the background, heard every song so far a million times before 4- experimental offbeat ditty. Probably skip if I were playing for me 5 - 80s pop crap sound. Skip 6 - another hit. 7 - and another. Nice little bass flick at the beginning. This one has a little more to it than the rest. Good song, has some instrumental depth 8 - ooh production tricks. Nice dark start. This is a good vibe 9 - vibes into this one. Nice. Big finish.
Amazing rock album, so many hits on here that I didn't even realize. Tapers a bit off at the end, but this is a definite relisten album. Overall a solid rock album, that was considered pop-ish when it was released.
This album came out on my birthday, so of course I’m doing to love it. I already liked the Cars and have listened to a decent amount of songs on this album.
ya lo escuché es bueno
This was a lyrical banger. Some skips, but overall it's fun, catchy, and a perfect Saturday morning album
Interesting - not what I expected - a post punk band right at the break of the punk wave. Interesting and fun.
Decent album. Honestly not much to say about this, but the songs all felt like they could have been hits to some extent (although I was unfamiliar with them). I'm glad The Cars are now on may radar at least. As a bonus fact, I'll note that 3 songs ("Good Times Roll," "I'm in Touch with Your World," and "You're All I've Got Tonight") all feature the bVI-bVII-I 'Super Mario Cadence.'
On very little sleep + Xanax. Would have otherwise opted for a mellow ambient album. This is a bit of an intellectual listen as I’m not relating to the feels of the music in this state. The synth parts are unreal good.
8/10 - There were some bangers, my best friend's girl and just what I needed are classics and some of the other songs were decent as well.
I had fun listening to this; I don’t know how many of these songs I actually want to listen to again, but I enjoyed the album 7/10
Fun rhythm shifts, great sound, American rock
Lot of hits on this album.
I’ve heard it before It’s solid
I wish I could be a car
Banger after banger. Enjoyed this one.
Pretty decent. I'm not the biggest fan of their sound but the songs are pretty good
Can you imagine this being your debut album? It's basically a greatest hits record, not to mention the iconic album art.
I would listen to this on a car trip.
This was great, of course, it's basically The Cars greatest hits. I'd like to use this space instead to shout out newer artist, Chappell Roan, who put on a great show tonight in Pittsburgh 💖🐴
Sounds very 80s but was released in the late 70s. This debut album was very influential and has some great anthems on it.
I think I've got The Cars confused with an entirely different artist my whole life. I was expecting that album to sound like Roy Orbison or something. Instead they kinda sound like a more rockin' Talking Heads or something. Anyways, I enjoyed it!
Solid rock album. Couple sick tunes for sure.
Tremendo álbum, en su mayoría excelente.
I especially like Good Times Roll; All Mixed Up is too slow
Great album, tons of hits
Some crazy good pop-rock with fantastic interplay between gritty guitar and floaty synth melodies. It's super tight, even when it does get loose it's in a QOTSA kinda way and the Queen style harmonies ding. There are times when it loses it's focus and the vibe gets too weird but only a couple times. It's just a near perfect example of that late 70's era where more interesting ideas are creeping in. Super fun.
I didn't really care for the first few songs. They're a bit repetitive. I feel the synth throughout the album really helped. Damn, the last 3 songs are jams
Average Cars W
stacked af
I count at least 5 hits off this album, based on classic rock radio plays. The first three tracks were definitely hits "Let the good times roll", "my best friend's girl", and "just what I needed" are classics. "You're all I've got tonight" and "bye bye love" are also worth mentioning. They straddle the new wave post punk line very carefully to make a classic album.
This was really solid! Much more inventive that I had thought - maybe I need to listen to The Cars some more?
So very very good. Spiky, punky, poppy. Can definitely see why they were considered in the vanguard of New-Wave.
Awesome
Extremely dense album filled with radio-ready singles. Absurdly dense. Moving in Stereo is the best song and if all the songs were that good it’d be 5/5.
A big album, part of the "new wave" era of music. Lots of hits off this record including "My Best Friend's Girl Friend' and "Just Whst I Needed*.
Man the Cars can write a catchy song. 3.77 per track even with “I’m in touch…”.
The Cars. Really? Boring name for a band. Why not Buildings, or Tree, or Pavement? Oh, wait… It is a big time album. Hit upon hit in my day. I liked them then, still do today. Love? Close. 4.5
Good album . Slightly overlooked from my side and I love it , though not very much .
Just an incredible debut album. 6 solid hits including two of the best Cars songs ever - Bye Bye Love & Moving in Stereo. Unfortunately a few tunes shy of hitting a 5. 4.25.
Huge nostalgia points for this one as it's one I was really into when I was really young. Still sounds great! Faves are the obvious: Good Times Toll, My Best Friend's Girl, Just What I Needed. The rest is ok, nothing special. Without nostalgia probably a 3.
This is great and, given it sounds so mid-80s, quite ahead of its time, getting released in 1978 as it did! Fave tracks - "Just What I Needed" has been a favorite for quite a while - an excellent tune! From the ones I was less aware of, "Moving in Stereo" stood out the most.....
Back half is phenomenal, but the beginning is kind of forgettable. Really hard decision between 3 and 4
Hell yeah this album rules
Nice little album, one or two bops.
Some well known big bangers to the where in a quirky 80s rock album. Not all songs fit the famous Cars mold, but a fun album nonetheless. Low 4
Not the best album by the Cars bur alright.
First three are hits, but it stays pretty strong throughout, with just a couple lulls. Nice clean punky rock pop
Great, fun pop album. Strong 3 songs to kick it off and brisk pace of 35 minutes makes for an easy listen.
Enjoyed this one. I had heard of this band but never tried them before. Upbeat songs. Nice to listen to.
Great album, pretty dated, but a classic early new wave sound. Just really enjoyable to listen along to.
^what Ali said
Really enjoyable! No skips album reminiscent of childhood
only 35 minutes god bless
I really liked it! Was worried it would be a very too heavy album with those first three tracks but it was solid all throughout. Thought it very clearly reflected a bridge between 70s and 80s music in style and sound. 4/5
Wow, what a cool album. Tinges of punk power chords, that 1970s hard rock, 80s synths and new wave singing. Truly a confluence of styles.
Let the good times roll, what a fantastic song to start this journey with. A Geeb you juswaddineeded!!! Know this song from pop culture never knew the band name. Maybe it’s just the excitement over this new project but these songs are absolutely hitting. Great first album.
Get Weezer vibes, especially on Track 3 - just what i needed. Keytar shines through big time. I only recognized track 3 when the chorus hit, its from somecommercial in the 2000's dont remember what it was for though. Track 5 - Dont cha stop was fun until the chorus, then i hated it. Track 7 - bye bye love starts with a bang and and the guitar between each line in the verse reminds me of guitar hero. TRACK 8 - Moving in Stereo FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH TITTIES HELL YEAH. Final track - All mixed up, okay guitar guy i hear you there in the corner. Waiting for your moment and just slapping together a quick 4 bar solo. Great first album, great vibes and awesome instrumental breaks and solos.
Starting STRONG! Uriel told me about the missed beat that The Cars kept on "Just What I Needed," and I can never unhear it. The last song sounds like a tribute to Queen? Queen started in 1970, and The Cars formed in 1976, so I like to think there might've been some mutual influence.
Not bad, some of the better New Wave from this list so far
Severely overlooked as one of the most classic new wave and debut albums in the US.
Brings back so many memories
it was good, different to my usual music taste but i enjoyed
Love this album! So many good memories
Really good
4 starss
Apparently my parents fucking love The Cars. Because I knew most of this album and I didn’t even realize these songs were The Cars. Still, the instrumental-heavy songs toward the back half of the album were boring and repetitive. And for that reason, I’m docking a point.
Lots of fun sounds. Lead signer’s voice has that classic echo-y 80s feel. Would be fun to flip my hair and sing to.
Solid debut album from The Cars. Six of the nine tracks on this album were either radio hits or became instant classic due to placement in a film. This album is incredible and would be a 5/5 if it hadn't been for that weird-ass track, "I'm in Touch with Your World."
Just a great album with a ton of known hits. Didn't quite get to that Abbey Road level, but it was damn close.
Maybe the birth of new wave? Either way a hit machine that paved the way for the next 10 years of pop/rock music.
Strong start, fourth track goes off kilter a bit but the synths do a lot of lifting. At its best when it rocks hard and lets the keys fill in the backdrop, but there are some good moodier moments as well. Love the closer All Mixed Up. The 80s are coming and The Cars are driving us there.
One of the best new wave albums. Huge number of hits, especially for a debut album. Not an all time classic for my taste, but still really great.
"Hi Brad.. you know how cute I always thought you were"
Leuk album! Would buy
# 159 : Another good album, I enjoyed listening to this. It's got a few hits which have been FM radio staples for a long time. An all round good show.
Boomers may have destroyed the entire planet, but they really did have great music.
Good album, I see influences from Bowie, Yes, Talking Heads and DEVO and thats not a bad combination to say the least.