Reviews (page 9 of 14)
This is some debut, including as it does the fantastic singles My Best Friend's Girl and Just What I Needed. While these are the highlights, there are other decent offerings, such as Good Times Roll and I'm in Touch with Your World. There is a tendency for most of the tracks to run along similar, one-paced plodding rhythms and the singer's voice is a bit lost in the mix on a couple of the songs. Other than that, a very strong offering - did it get any better than this?
This album has that essential New Wave sound, but feels like it was made to be a commercial success rather than from any real artistic passion. Due to my age, I am immediately drawn to that nostalgic 'radio new wave' sound so it gets a better rating than it should.
really good album
All-time classic rock album, transitioning from the arena rock of the 70s to the New Wave and synthpop coming in the next decade. Every song is repeatably listenable.
When I talk about albums that were in constant rotation in the late 70s, I've had more bad than good comments.The Cars' first album is one I remember favourably. It was a welcome change from the hair bands of the day. The picking in the intro to "My Best Friend's Girl' had this sound that, back then, was quite unusual and the electronic drums were also kinda cool. I only know the four hits but the rest of the album isn't obnoxious
I had this record on high rotation when it was released back in 78, its incredible to think that its 44 years old! This astonishingly good debut album was instrumental in ushering the New Wave movement. Side 1 starts off with 3 bangers but the momentum flags a bit with I'm in touch and Don't cha stop. But they make it up on Side 2 with four of the most iconic new wave songs that seem to flow together so naturally: You're all I've got tonight, Bye Bye Love, Moving in Stereo and All Mixed up. If it wasn't for the two fillers this album would score five stars easily.
This is a pretty good classic rock album. The first half of the album is all hits. The back half of the album isn’t bad. Just pretty generic classic rock. Overall it feels pretty timeless and the songs are enjoyable. 7.6/10
Wall to wall banger 4
Even the non-radio hits are pretty good. Solid album and I was pleasantly surprised.
Quite a few big hits on this album. Really enjoy the spacey, new-wavey sound mixed with rock. Never listened to a full Car album before.
I really liked this! A few recognizable songs (and the perfect hook to get me back into the listening project)
The Cars are one of those groups where I know a ton of songs by them but don't really process it because I only hear them on the radio. Standout tracks: "Just What I Needed" (perennial favorite), "Moving in Stereo" (new discovery)
Þessi er bæði hress og skemmtileg. Hlustaði tvisvar og myndi gera aftur.
Such good new wave, so many iconic songs
This was a blast from the past. I listened to The Cars a lot when I was a youngster. This album is actually older than I thought.
Really more like 4.5 stars. This is like a greatest hits record plus a few lesser songs. Of those, you got a highly entertaining number using every random percussive instrument known to man, plus kazoos, and the last track is tremendous.
It's pretty great. Almost every track is solid gold. I just don't think that "I'm In Touch With Your World" and "Doncha Stop" are all that great. So close to a perfect 5.
Tosi mukavaa ajomusaa, myöhempään kuunteluun.
Great sound.
It would be enough Orr's 'just what I needed'
Some good solid driving.
Yeah, I like the guitars. More if a pop style than I'd usually go for but it's great album.
Never have heard this album before, but obviously have heard a lot of songs. The first half of the album seems to have the hits whereas the second half is more experimental. 35 minutes which I tend to think is around the sweet spot for a lot of albums. Glad I listened to this one
There's a little more depth to this album that I thought there was. Some good deep tracks beyond the popular ones.
Fun 80s pop
I was surprised by how many hits were on this album from good times roll to best friends girl to bye bye love. All the other songs were pretty good and enjoyable too.
Hi- Bye Bye Love, Moving In Stereo, All Mixed Up Lo- Don't Cha Stop Growing up with The Cars getting heavy rotation on the radio and media, I've always considered this album just a matter of fact. Most of these tracks are reasonably fun and boppy. Don't Cha Stop is obviously inspired by "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and is kind of a weak end to a pretty decent first act...But the flipside is where you get 3 very solid tracks (all seamlessly blended into each other) that really kicks sounds ahead of its time, preceeding albums by The Cars will sound more like this. Another thing to note about this album is its fidelity; It's absolutely great for 1978, rivaling Steely Dan and similar albums.
very energetic pop/ pop rock album that has some interesting songs
Wow, that was really great.
I love this album, especially the last three tracks. It's so good.
Whopping debut album. Knew most of the tracks but never realised it was from 1978!!! I would have guessed '82 or '83. Cover art 5/5
This was actually a brilliant album. Well written and sounds way ahead of its time in terms of style and genre. Really enjoyable with many string tracks. Also kept it concise and impactful with it being only 35 minutes. Will definetly give it another listen
Muito bom.
Very very good. Some absolute bangers and lead to Weezer so a good thing in my opinion.
This was really good! The main thing that stood out to me was just how tight the rhythm section is, all of the grooves just locked together perfectly (even the quirky, disjointed rhythms of I'm In Touch With Your World) Most of the songs were more simple but the texture always built and varied throughout to keep things interesting, and there were some great flourishes and interweaving melody lines to spice things up to perfect effect. Just a really enjoyable record from front to back
Overall, this is a good album with a few weaker tracks that I didn't enjoy as much. I like how experimental this band got with technology (apparently they used large amounts of it). Highlights: My Best Friend's Girl, Just What I Needed, You're All I've Got Tonight
A sneaky 4. More like a 7 out of 10 but I'm feeling generous.
Really good album quite enjoyed this one. Never heard of this band before.
Into the first minutes of this album I thought it was going to be quite boring, but after a while I noticed it was rocking away quite nicely. Not mind-blowing by any means, but just a very solid album.
Love the Cars! I have definitely heard all of the big hits from this album for my whole life, but the few that I haven’t heard were really interesting. Surprisingly short album too!
A classic
Un d'aquells discos que mai et canses d'escoltar. Sense grans singles destacats ('Drive' vindria anys més tard), tot ell és un conjunt de temes sense màcula. En els anys de més brillantor en la música pop més creativa, aquest destaca com un dels seus discos més disfrutables. No és pas poca cosa
didn't expect to dig this so much
A new wave classic.Love the drums and harmonies in "Good Times Roll"."My Best Friend's Girl" has a great guitar part and great harmonies."I love the song "Just What I Needed", a lot because i also love the Car Seat Headrest "Not what I Needed" which is kinda of a reworked version of this song made by Will. "I’m In Touch With Your World" is kind of weird, with a lot of synths and guitars all over the place, not as enjoyable as the previous ones. "Don’t Cha Stop" is very catchy and has a great guitar solo, and great guitar work overall." You’re All I’ve Got Tonight" has great flangered drums , a very good chorus, and the song is finished with a great solo and a repetition of the chorus. "Bye Bye Love" sound a little bit similar to the last one, but with a better synth work, in my opinion.Great transitional intro to "Moving In Stereo", with greath synths and vocals from their bassist,is certainly one of the top songs of this album.The last song, "All Mixed Up"has great harmonies, however, it's not that great, possibly one of the worst with "I’m In Touch With Your World". A solid 8. If not for thos 2 songs, it would have been a 9. Favourite track(s): Good Times Roll/Just What I Needed_____ Least Favourite tracks: "All Mixed Up"/"I’m In Touch With Your World". Can see the influences that they had on weezer's blue album (which ocasek produced).
Excellent new wave gem, thoroughly enjoyable. Talking Heads crossed with Roxy Music. Sounds as fresh as a daisy.
I love it!!
Interesting instrumentation choices, the songs feel varied throughout. All very danceable, every song has a distinct driving feel to it. Memorable guitar riffs and hooks. Some of the vocal harmony moments were cool, some felt sort of forced. Album got stronger from “Just What I Needed” and beyond. First two tracks just felt like anything you could hear on classic rock radio, but the third track is iconic, and after that it feels like more risks are being taken. Incredible flow throughout the album. Last two tracks are a cool note to go out on. Still upbeat, but weirder and almost haunting/mysterious at times. Every song could be a hit.
Ah this has some great pop songs on - always loved 'Best Friends Girls' and some of the other tracks. Not consistent enough across all songs to be brilliant, but really enjoyed the album.
Tight pop-rock of a bygone era; a PG favourite.
Really good! A lot of the unknown songs where kind of funky and different, not just straight forward classic rock. Also reminded me of Talking Heads a little bit. 7/10
Really impressive debut album!
I liked it, it was unexpectedly nice.
Part of me wants to hate The Cars for spawning a dozen shitty imitators, but I guess that's not actually their fault. This is a fun album. Best track: Just What I Needed
Surprisingly enjoyable. Strong songs.
6 of the 9 tracks on this album get regular radio play to this day. So yea, it’s pretty damn good. And the other three songs? Also pretty damn good.
A comment on this album on YouTube was that this could be a greatest hits album. Boy, are they spot on. That one-two-three of the first three songs on it, man! I’ll be honest, I was not a big fan of The Cars. Mostly because of “Drive.” (So overplayed when I was a teenager.). But this first album is really good. They really have the songs down. Very concise and well-written.
I don't think I ever gave this band enough credit. The first 3 tracks are well known hits but then you have the tracks that aren't singles. They may not have the same 'hook' that the singles have but they're all solid songs. This album definitely made me want to check out the rest of the Cars' discography
finally a regular classic rock album Good classic songs, but "I'm in touch with your world" is odd and not that great Sorta flew by fast, was a short album but it really did have some hits in there
I liked it. Obviously I knew The Cars for ‘Just What I Needed’ but this album as a whole was pretty good. 3.5
this feel modern even today. great blend of styles. tracks: good times roll, best friends girl, moving in stereo
Pretty solid album. Great start. Lost me a bit near the end.
my first rock album, i give it a solid 3.5
Basically every song is a hit. Impressive debut album.
What a debut
Pretty impressive debut album. I've never been a big Cars fan, something about Ric Ocasek's voice that I just don't like, but I can't deny that this album is full of catchy, radio-friendly tunes. Amazing there were at least 5 hit songs off of this one album. 4 stars.
Really liked it!
yeah this one slaps
this feels like it would've been a revelation in 1978 - i didn't realize it'd been out for that long. even the less well-known tracks here were strong. plus, you know, hometown heroes!
Amazing songs
Good times roll is my favorite track from this album. My best friends girl, and Just what I needed are also outstanding tracks.
I had listened to this one a couple of times before and it has always made me feel good. Overall a pretty fun album.
new wave go brrrrrrrrrrrrr
This was 'Just What I Needed' after the crap punk of the last album. I'm sorry for that one. This is so much better though. It has some of that 70s vibe but also some proto-80s feel too. I'm also a fan of the band chiming in to sing sometimes.
Liked most of the album. 1 or 2 songs that I could take or leave but overall very good album
Solid! Some classic for sure. A bit early for some of the tunes, but greats nonetheless
Very refreshing music. Seems out of place and unlike anything. I will listen to it again, definitely.
I mean it’s hard not to give it 4 stars, since almost every song is a hit. But, still I’ve hear them all like 4,007 times
Pretty good, easy to listen through. Love the popular singles that everyone else does.
really good, cant believe i never listened to this before.
A great mix of new wave cool and radio-friendly pop, the Cars' clever use of synths also really helps to elevate this album above normal rock/pop fare.
🎸🎸🎸
I don't know if it's because I listened to this album every day for months or because they had a strange release plan, but I remember like seven singles coming from it. Plenty of great songs that sound like a more romantic Devo.
What a fab opening riff - followed by another - then another. Three of my favourite songs in a row. Joy. I haven't heard this album since 1980. Sadly not all to that same high standard, but then they couldn't possibly be, and even the duff tracks are pretty good. Loved it. I was also prompted to put some of these onto my running playlist. To criticise, I felt the vocal melody lines weren't always as good as the guitar lines underneath them. I generally like Ric Ocasek's vocals and on some tracks he's perfect for the vibe of the track; when he's right, he's really right; but sometimes he takes the low road when the high road is just inviting him along. I can't help thinking that with a stronger singer, they could have taken over the world - but overall, it's still a great sound.
unerwartet moderner Hardrock und Synth für die Zeit
actually liked it a lot! v nice
decent
The Cars had a lot of hits, they kind of sounded the same, but they had a lot of hits
Next 6/7 on newtonian scale 6/7 25.0075 pas Like you're just listening to the song halfway through wanting a bullet througj the head until this song fucking ends. SHE USED TO BE MINE
This is the Cars at their peak. Many of their greatest hits all packed into one quick listen. It falls off a little on the back end, but it's truly hit after hit for this one. Favorite Song: Just What I Needed
Such a consistently good pop rock album. Not a bad song on here. I love how the cars kind of mixed bluesy rock with synths. It really influenced so many bands afterward.
Very 70s rock, good choruses, Queen style backing and linear guitar riffs
Está divertido
Excellent. Never heard of them before but will listen again.
Fun, enjoyable, rhytmic rock.
The Cars greatest hits, and it was their debut album!
Movidito, peor no me capturó mucho. Supongo que esto es la idea que tengo del rock genérico, lo cual no es necesariamente malo, pero no me quedo con ninguna canción. Según Spotify agarraron mucha influencia de Velvet Underground, pero no veo dónde o cómo se refleja en este disco, quizás creé altas expectativas por leer su bio. Creo que la que más me gustó fue Don´t Cha Stop irónicamente porque es la que suena más basic, pero me parece chill y divertida. Mood: Ruta 66
Dope. Some solid gold hits plus some other good songs.
komplett 70er style.. stark rockig aber mit leichtem punk einschlag vorallem auf den vocals.. coole e-gitarren riffs und solos. geht ein wenig in die richtung der talking heads.. ok richtung beschreibung wär new-wave gewesen haha my best friends girl kannte ich schon, den rest nicht wirklich.. nicht 100pro mein sound aber schon fettes album
Never heard of em before. Very pleasant surprise
Just What I Needed is a certified bop but the rest of this album is sexy as hell
Buen disco siendo de los setenta recuerda a los ochenta
I enjoyed these tracks
70s pop rock at its chart-topping peak
groupe culte musique pour road trip ils portent bien leur nom
Lo disfruté mucho, es el tipo de rock que sí me gusta, yo digo. Muy de soundtrack, me lo imagino en las tardeadas de los jóvenes setenteros. Sobre todo, me gustó a partir de "Don't Cha Stop". Mis favs quizá "You're All I've Got Tonight" y "Moving In Stereo". Creo que alguna vez ya había escuchado algo de The Cars, pero muy contento de escuchar este álbum. 9/10
Año 1978. 9 canciones y menos de 36 minutos. Me sigue impresionando lo poco que se necesitaba en esa época para completar un LP. El arranque ya merece la pena y suena realmente moderno incluso más de 40 años después. Comenzar con "Good times roll", "My best friend's girl" y "Just what I needed" sobre todo esta última a la que tanto le deben los Weezer.
Rock indie
80s classic rock / dad rock. It's a good album without any filler (literally zero filler), but I couldn't keep myself from picturing old dudes saying "now this is REAL rock and roll" the whole time I listened to it
Lovely album, every song flowed nicely and connected to eachother
Niceee
One of the greatest new wave albums. First three songs are perfect pop songs. 8/10
first 3 bangers, the next one is weird, the rest have some diamonds in the rough. solid album
honestly a banger
classic
Top three Cars album, but the bar is pretty high. It's probably the one most packed with hits, so maybe just a tad over-played for me? Either way, can't get enough of that guitar tone....
Holy cats, so many singles. I didn’t expect to like this album as much as I did. I’m still surprised at how thoughtful the music itself was of pop music from this era, far more interesting than contemporary pop music.
Aye this is a banger, I think it would be a 5 but it does dip pretty hard in the middle
Was hoping this would come up. So cool. It’s looking forward but so much of it is 70s af. Big hit.
I like it, I like it a lot. I think my ratings got messed up and I began rating things too high Whatever, this is still a four
fuck yeah
Knew more tracks on this than I thought!
I’m fairly certain I’ve heard every song from this album in classic rock radio at some point. It turned the Cars into megastars in the 70s into the 80s and I can see why. Pop-rock radio friendly hits for the whole family. Got some cool guitar tones and synth sounds to boot. Favorite song: Just What I Needed Least favorite song: Bye Bye Love
Seminal. Moving in Stereo moved me the most, interesting blend of prog rock and 80s synth sound.
Really fun rock album with several classics.
Knew all the songs, but first time listening to it as it was meant to be listened to, I did them wrong for so many years. Really 3.5 but I guess I have to round up.
What a great, great album.
A fun, catchy album. You can really hear how this album would go on to influence the synth, new wave pop of the 80's.
It's nice but a bit repetitive I found. Especially the lyrics. I enjoyed and then quickly got bored of most songs. Had a second listen and really liked it
Definitely a staple sound back then, I love this punk rock mixed with some funky tunes
Fedt pop album med flere gode ørehængere på. Skal lyttes på igen. Nogle af numrene er måske lidt for lette, men overordnet godt
A lot of classics on this album
Reminds me of my childhood and made me think about the great relationships I have and had with all of my family members and how great full I am for that. I am also very stoned and thinking about quitting my job.
Great album, you can tell this inspired so many future rock bands. The mixing and mastering really is excellent, every track is polished and catchy.
Actually 3.5 stars but I liked it way more than I thought I would
Good album, fun band.
Some classic dad rock anthems on this jawn
Everything the 80s got right
Forget how much of their songs I know until I’m listening to their albums
Heard of The Cars before but never listened to em Nice pop songs. Enjoyable. Queen esque backing vocals Heard 'Just what I needed' before, good song. 9 songs, in and out, leaves you with a good taste of Cars in your mouth. Not that ive been licking Car bonnets. Though im not ruling it out. 3.5
It's fun, but it hasn't aged all that well. Not like it's bad, but I can't imagine anyone discovering this in 2026 and thinking "Wow I really like this! From now on I am going to listen to the Cars." It's like white bread. Favourite: Just What I Needed Feels like the very definition of a 6/10.
molto bellino
Well, could be worse
It’s definitely not bad; however, there’s a certain lethargy about the entire album that really doesn’t make me want to give it any more than a 3/5. It’s like you’ve got the right piece of equipment for the job, but you didn’t give it enough power, so it’s no good.
Not a huge fan of the esoteric singing but there are some good songs. I like Moving in Stereo the most
I enjoyed most everything The Cars did on this album, but none of it really blew me away. Every song here is a very well crafted pop song, and they were all very fun to listen, but none of them really grabbed me beyond that. The production is the best part, with the crisp, clear tones of the music. adding a lot of color and flavor. I also liked the dramatic vocals from Ric Ocasek, and the uniformly great guitar and synth work. I'm not quite sure what it is that prevents me from fully loving this, but I think there just wasn't much that grabbed me emotionally. Really enjoyable overall, but I doubt it will ever be an all time favorite for me.
Vist juba kuulasin seda albumit, aga ei jäänud midagi kõrva kriipima või üldse heas mõttes meelde. Kohati puhas rock, kohati veider kõla. 2.8/5
Nice late 70's rock to jam to
Nothing really sticks out to me in this album, it was more so just like mid filler background noise to me, just might not be my cup of tea though
Поначалу показалось что чето очень интересное, но по факту довольно стандартная нью-вейвовая попса из 80-х. Безусловно, это прикольно и есть пара клевых треков, но так, в целом, довольно скучно и сильно проигрывает мастодонтам жанра. В общем, неплохой проходняк.
It's a good album. Though, I'm never in love with it. Full of songs that are perfect on that playlist you have that plays in the background or in your ear as you're doing something else.
I’m getting the vibes of what was the beginning of the classic 80’s sound. I’d heard Just What I Needed before, I just didn’t know it. Stopped at I’m in Touch with Your World. I’ll finish it, I’m just really curious to see what the next album is.
Är la okeeej
The Breakfast Club gets the girl, picks her up at 7, and strands her at a classy gas station bathroom.
Didn’t know it. Ok album rock with some synths which would become more apparent when the 80s started
Ric Ocasek's got the hooks. Admirable but not the first thing I'm pulling from the shelf, or the 1,000th.
It was alright. Nothing outstanding, nothing offensive to the ears.
Not a fan of new wave, given the posturing and same dull baritone vocal style of every single singer. Here is another example. It's not bad, but it's still new wave and has all the bollocks that goes with it. Hell, the second song even has hand claps, which are to music what Woman's Rights are to Conservatives. I didn't know a single song from this, even though I was aware of the band. There's only three songs here I'd entertain the thought of hearing again. Their best ones seem to be those which have a darker edge, but they don't fully commit to that sound. That cover art is horrific.
It’s alright not the best definitely didn’t grab me
It's good I don't see myself listening to it though. I can see these songs being in a 80s movie.
i have never heard of the cars ever this is so 80s breakfast club core im finallyyyy back (june 25, whoops) the first few songs were really good up until around Im in touhc with your world. I think i got sick of the sterreotypical 80s rock music movie soun. its good but i wouldnt put it on or buy it or anything
An easy listen. Nice for chilling in summer.
I know these ones
Svängig skön lätt musik att lyssna på. Lite tonårigt kanske.
Very typical 1970-1980s sound to it super short and fun listen only negative thing is I wish it was longer, strong 3/5
The fact I’ve heard all these means they’re classics 100 emoji
I think my favorite was moving in stereo
The first listen seemed to pass me by. However, upon revisiting I found a number of bops on this album. Some decent early listening in contrast to some of the earlier 70s rock that we’ve had recently.
Decent pop rock. That noodly guitar on Best Friends Girl is great.
Good fun album.
A few goodies and a few mehs. 2.5
Its good ,not great Defo need a relisten
not a fan of this panning. i love guitar that only lives in my right ear. electronic is always nice. effects are cool but the lyrics are kinda nothing, which is a shame because i do like the vocal affectation. i can definitely see the fundamentals of rock here. i like the sound best when theyre digging into that minor pop harmony. more pop rock / alt pop than anything else. hang on this good song was ruined by shitty drums just now STOP HITTING THE 1 AND 3 SNARE YOU PSYCHOPATH okay they are having fun with sfx. respect. moving in stereo is pretty goofy and awesome. if i could extract that song from this album and make a new album based on that song it would be a good album. as is, its just fine. i also like all mixed up, prog rock is the best rock and this evokes that. loses points in the first half but gets em back in the second. are those zun trumpets highlights: im in touch with your world, moving in stereo, all mixed up
I always thought the woman on the cover looked like Rachel McAdams. I also always used to think this was just another straightforward rock album, but it gets weird, which I appreciate. Not my favorite but still an interesting listen.
Fun, no complaints.
I have this and have always felt (backed up on listening again today) that the album started strong, weakened, then became bland. 1. Just what I needed 2. Good Times Roll 3. My Best Friends Girl
didn't satisfy me melodically
Many hits of course but some of the mixing and effects don't hold up well to me
I thought this would be awful, but it wasn't too bad at all. It even almost scraped four stars, but it's a solid three.
When i listened to the songs but before I read about the band I would have guessed they has some English roots (despite the dialect) since this kind of music is something I really associate with early English rock. Its kind of slow in a way that I don't really like. Other than that I like the album though. Some catchy songs and some that I don't remember at all. A middle of the road album as a whole.
Quite pleasant rock - keyboard stuff
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Good Times Roll, Just What I Need Yea, okay, so this is one of those bands where I have heard several of the songs, and finally get to put a name to a face, as it were. The Cars also further illustrate my complex relationship with the New Wave genre. This album is pretty light on the 80s synth, and leans more into the post-punk-y, rock-oriented, Talking Heads style approach, which I am generally more on board with. Overall, this is middle of the road for me.
Tottaly agree with the top review but "Just what I needed" is a good enough song to make it atleast a bit special. Its a fun listen but its really abouth it. All the synths and weird effect are kinda dated.
Solid album. A couple of fabulous songs. 3.5
Love the first three songs, after that it gets a bit stale, some songs are still standout, but rest aren't that intersting to listen too, and too eighties for me (even tho its not from then). 1. My Best Friend's Girl 2. Just What I Needed 3. Good Times Roll
Bra! Velar lite mellan en 3 eller 4 i betyg. Jag gillar albumet men det finns lite magplask.
Not my favorite, but decent pop rock. Pretty impressive for a debut album to have generated so many hits.
Pretty early enw wave, with some great synth influences, particularly on the first track. I do struggle with the lack of hooks, and the energy of the album does get quite lethargic, particularly when they aren't doing mcuh interesting with the music
电子音|迷幻
Вперше це чую, але це досить добре, десь на 3,5. Дві останні пісні найкращі
It's ok. I'm not the biggest fan of The Cars, but it was ok.
This was okay! Nothing a million special no offence.
This was fine. Quintessential 70s rock, knew the hits. Some good guitar work but I dont see myself returning.
Really dig the production/singles on this one. Sounded more Devo than I had expected (which is a good thing).
Kan godt klare en lytning mere.
More like 3.5
Cool for a few songs but then got repetitive
Not really fussed by the The Cars, but this isn't a bad album. Perfectly listenable.
I love the rhythm in a lot of the songs.. I'm guessing it was made in the 70s-90s. I like how the songs have this good groovy beat the background. I'm giving this album a 3/5
1. un poquito muy teen-com al principio para mi. mientras mas avanza el álbum me gusta más, no tiene tanto tono heartfelt pero con un poco más de “cuerpo”. muy rock and rollero clásico de los 70-80. piola. un poquito me recuerda a queen y un poco a led zeppelin. algunas canciones suenan muy parecidas entre sí con el mismo sonido. desde la mitad se aprecian más solos de guitarra cules. honestly. las últimas canciones bien wenas. fue mejorando y cerró bien. best songs; you’re all i’ve got tonight, bye bye love, moving in stereo, all mixed up. 6/10
His voice sometimes sounds like David Bowie, sometimes like David Byrne, and sometimes like Freddie Mercury. It’s a pretty short album, but totally worth a quick listen. I think I need to listen a couple more times to fully enjoy it, but it just feels a little repetitive for me at the moment… Not sure how to explain, but the variety is just not what I’m looking for.
Probably the most agreeable new wave album of all time. That comes with its pros and cons - sure, The Cars have undeniable hits like “Just What I Needed,” but it’s kind of missing the edge that the rest of the scene had, no?
May 5th - Day 1 - The Cars - The Cars First Listen: 5/10 Favourites: You’ve all I got Tonight, Moving in Stereo, All Mixed Up
Enjoyed the album, but I think it's a rather safe one. It appears to be a great bridge that helped usher rock 'n roll guitar tones into mainstream pop. The guitar work is composed of a quite a few bits of rather simple, repetitive chord structures with a handful of great solos thrown in between. Then, we got some nice synth elements that sit in the background of tracks, and permeates through the album in a nice accenting way that feels like a precursor to many synthpop tones you find in the 80s. Laired on with some great, pop style vocal work with some real infectious hooks. "Good Times Roll", "My Best Friend's Girl", "Just What I Needed" & "You're All I've Got Tonight" all have quick hooks that's lyrics feel deeply ingrained in Americana, fueled by their continued prevalent use. Bit of a shame that it's essentially "advertising music" nowadays— but I think that it's contemporary place in culture today highlights how great this album is for mass appeal. Like, I feel you would be hard pressed to find anyone mad you're throwing on this album, or tossing a few of these tracks into a group playlist. It's super safe, because again it feels like this bridge between rock 'n roll, synth & pop. There's, in a corny phrasing way, "a little something for everyone." I think Elliot Easton's tone & playing on this album are fantastic, and a huge attributer to making the album super approachable for many. It feels in many ways, like it's the perfect 70s rock tone, partnered with some more pruned back and easily digestible playing— but sprinkled with moments of style that shows he knows his chops. Album has an absolutely heater opening set of 3 songs that land in a fucking wet fart of a couple tracks, and then redeems itself on the rest of the side-B. Going from "Good Times Roll", "My Best Friend's Girl", "Just What I Needed" into "I'm in Touch With Your World" is like, getting cold water splash on you, and "Don't Cha Stop" doesn't bring back much confidence either. Thankfully, those two are undoubtedly the weakest entries on the album, and side-B was overall an enjoyable experience. I think this would be a great album to own, but I don't think I'd be spinning it a whole lot nor throwing in tracks into playlists. Again, I just think the work in a contemporary sense is just too heavily associated with advertising, and so the hooks, while infectious, just have this sort of tainted feel to them. Like I'm watching a fucking car commercial every time the hook from "Just What I Needed" start playing, it's kind of sad.
Just What I Needed is leagues better than everything else on here.
Meh. It’s okay. Uninspiring and forgettable. 5/10
Alright new wave, nothing mindblowing, but fine to listen to.
Never realized this album had so many of The Cars biggest hits. Great short album, enjoyable listen
5/10
Sounds like a nice, very-basic, by-the-book rock album that's easy to listen to.
This is a prime example of when, just because I recognise more than one song, I get a knee-jerk reaction to rate it higher than I would normally think appropriate. Not this time Cars.
Cool album! My friend recommended me a song from them the other day ;p The album cover is a bit creepy but so cool…
it was cool, i found one song fun
Good. Nostalgic sound
Buen álbum. Ayudó a definir el new wave en EEUU. Para nada pesado, moving in stereo es mi fav. No sé si lo volvería a escuchar, pero safa.
belongs in the world of Edward Scissorhands
70s-80s vibe, rock&roll. Would listen to it once in a whule but not on a daily basis.
Ha estado bien, aunque no añadiría ninguna a mi playlist
Lighthearted but a bit lightweight
Some catchy moments and the clean production is fun but some tunes had me a tad bored
Its kinda interesting, sounds like i expected, every song sounds kinda alike tho. fav song is Im in touch with your world.
Incredible opening 3 songs, then about 15 forgettable minutes of album tracks. Then Moving In Stereo… I thought I heard this before, but a cursory search of Youtube was fruitless. This was absolutely the standout track after the trilogy of classics at the start. Segueing into the last song, All Mixed Up, it was worth waiting for. I contemplated giving this 2 stars because of the very mediocre middle section, but the concluding tracks changed my mind completely. 3 stars
Ya lo había escuchado, no me parece muy bueno pero zafa. 6/10
Wonky synthpop meets AM classic rock.
I knew more songs on this than I thought I would. I knew Good Times Roll, My Best Friend’s Girl, and Just What I Needed. I also recognized Moving in Stereo from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. I liked this.
I thought The Cars was a pretty good album. This album is definitely a real trailblazer as it had a lot of the sounds that became commonplace in the 80s new wave movement. The synths are all here though somewhat different from what the genre would produce and there is even a saxophone solo in the last song. The vocals were also pretty interesting as Ric Ocasek could sometimes sound like Freddie Mercury (especially in the second song). I wouldn't say that this album is a s interesting as some of the albums that would come after it due to those doing much more and feeling more polished, I still thought that this was a pretty good one. Best Song: All Mixed Up Worst Song: Good Times Roll
I knew more songs on this record than I thought I would, lots of hits from the 80s. But The Cars aren’t really my thing. -TomB
I feel like every Cars song I know is on this one album. There absolute hits. But the other songs are kinda filler. Good Times Roll My Best Friend's Girl Just What I Needed Moving in Stereo
This was ok - being New Wave it ought to be up my street and it often felt like it was going to click for me but never quite did on this listen. Maybe repeated listens would help but as ever, finding the time is a challenge for something that I’m unsure about.
Generally ok with a couple of bangers thrown in. I'd listen to a lot of other new wave albums before this though.
I enjoyed this, surprised The Cars aren't more acclaimed than they are
Not bad overall. Some good guitar licks and the lyrics are catchy in a couple tracks too. At the end of the day it still sounds too pop-y for me. Loved the added synths and keys on the album, really made it stand out. Favourite tracks: Just What I Needed, Bye Bye Love, Moving in Stereo, All Mixed Up 3/5
First half is shit but the album grow in the second half. beautiful guitar work throw out the album. The choruses of these songs are so basic the lack that punch.
Noen bangers, men jevnt over ganske meh.
A solid debut from The Cars but probably not my favourite album of theirs. Still a decent effort, with an album cover that I still love. Favourite track: Just What I Needed
Worse than other 3 stars but just what I needed is a classic in my head for some reason so it sneaks in there. Overall, really boring album though
Probably the most 80's sounding album I've heard in a while. Full on 80's-voice, boring drums, lame synths. Impressive for a 1978 release I guess?
Not a bad little album, some songs I didn't realise I knew here. Nothing overly exciting though.
First three songs well known (at least to me). Gets a bit darker and less upbeat after that "Good times Roll" as the high point. Different vocalist on the second half of the album contributes to this. 3.5.
A cool new wave style rock album that I really enjoyed whilst listening to it but have kinda already forgotten about. It was mostly all good, but more background music despite the genre. Just needed more big hitters.
There are some real high moments on here, but outside of that, it starts to run together a little quickly. I think this is one of those albums that's better as time capsule back to music at a particular time than it is as something you listen to cause it's just so good on it's own.
3.5
spotify accidentally on shuffle
every song on this album could be heard on my deep American south oldies station in the 90s
catchy, fun, danceable and singable. Very worth the listen. A few songs i didn't really feel strongly about My best friend's girl is the one i liked the least billy idol vibes
❤️
Fairly standard rock music.
Dad provided the best insight into this album. But he refuses to join the project, so it is lost. Lost forever. A crossword legend is someone who's number of appearances on the New York Times crossword far exceeds what you might expect based on their level of fame. Hats off to 'Ric Ocasek'. His name will live on far longer than most of his contemporaries.
This is really a positive sounding album, just about everything bad and wrong can wait at the door whilst this is on. The album is filled with infectious earworms left right and centre, only bad thing is that I'm having a real hard time getting the infectious worm/s into my ear, I can hear them and recognise them but they're not in my ear! Which totally breaks my heart because it's such a positive one. It's just one of those ones where I wished I liked a lot more, mostly because of how fanatic and raving people are about the Cars self-titled album and also because I can see why people like it. O WELL. Highlight Song/s: "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Just What I Needed"
This is all that ive got tonight?
I found it kinda cornball-y. Moving in Stereo brought me back in. Not for my taste overall.
If you know the singles from this album it’s quite easy to imagine the cars are essentially the soundtrack to US teen movies. And that’s partially true when they flex their power pop muscles but it’s weirder than that. Equal parts Bowie and sparks. But where both of those are artsy, this is poppier and more mainstream. Not necessarily a bad thing
Very good album. 3,8
My boss called this a perfect album, and upon 4 listens, I say to that "No, but it's good". I only knew The Cars from two things: Ric Ocasek's work with Weezer and then him later preventing the release of Car Seat Headrest's Teens of Denial due to an uncleared sample. If I also vaguely recall, some internet woman before COVID would parade around with that album cover like it was her life. Six years later, I hear it as a solid, new wave power pop record. The hits are well-done, the Devo-like quirk is there, those floppy synths. Even some bits of Queen harmonizing show up on this record. It's a good mix, but I don't know if I could accurately call it full-on great at this time. Who knows? I may come around to it and then make it my whole personality. For now, I stand here and think "Ok, good, next" (8/10, 4/5 on this scale) (Update: 3/5 on this scale)
They sound British.
Highlights: Just What I Needed, Let The Good Times Roll Could this be one of the best debuts of the late 70s? I'd say it's up there. Overall: 5/10
Meh! I remember their hit singles "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Just What I Needed" but they're not that great and I don't really see what all the fuss is about.
That opening track is such a good composition. Great mixing. The second track has some interesting parts instrumentation wise, but overall it's a bit corny. I've always liked Just What I Needed, just a solid rock song. Another good composition. I found after that there were songs that had their moments and the mixing was pretty good throughout, but the bar was set high early on.
This is a great album, it reminds me of the cure. I liked the classic sound it had to it but I think it is a little basic. I enjoyed it and my favorite song on the album was Just What I Needed.
This album was definitely a pleasant surprise. Didn’t really expect too much going into it, but the collection of upbeat new wave vibes with solid song-writing & cheeky delivery really hit the spot, especially on the bookends of the album. ‘Moving in Stereo’ and ‘All Mixed Up’ as closing tracks are two of my favourites on the record, but the more popular tracks that front-load the album are great too. It tails off slightly in the middle, but other than that it was a good listen.
256/1001 The Cars - s/t Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❓ Having not heard anything by The Cars before, yet have heard of them, I went in completely blind. This was fine. There wasn't really anything that captured my attention and I doubt I'll return to this.
It's fine, it's just kinda bland. Maybe when it came out it was fresh and new. The songs are okay, they're upbeat and performed well, they just seem kind of.. throw away. Every song is a 6/10.
Not a bad song on the album. Nothing stands out though.
Fine. 2.5/10
More bops than I knew!
pre listening: sound familiar but never heard of them i think 1: very 80s 2: like but don’t love. 3: hey i know this song! 4: 5: my kinda music! drums and guitar progression i likey. i also like this periods way of sing talking and inflections. 6:
There are harmonies in "Good Times Roll" that sound like Queen - this is New Wave, aimed at stadiums, aimed at crossing over from The Rat, from CBGBs, out into the mainstream. Smart songs - "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Just What I Needed" especially. I can also hear the influence of Be Bop Deluxe here - try their "Ships In The Night" as a reference
Sonically very well done. The mixes are incredible. The layered vocals are done to perfection. The sound is very much attached to the era it was born out of though, which isn’t necessarily bad, it’s just the album isn’t likely to translate so well if you weren’t alive to experience it in the late 70s // early 80s. Love the concise, focused nature of the tracks & tracklist; it helps because there isn’t much variation in the sequencing or songs themselves throughout the runtime. There is a very performative, queen-esque, sort of theatrical quality to the lead vocalist’s performance on the album, if that’s your thing, not for me personally.
3/5, good overall listen. only had one song that i ended up skipping. only kept two songs though
-reminds me of Queen but more quirky -very chill to crochet to Favs were Don’t Cha Stop and Bye Bye Love
This was probably a progressive and forward thinking sound in 1978. Spent most of the listening experience imagining it was from the mid 80’s. Last track was my fav.
This wouldnt really be the kind of music I would like per se but i lowk mess with it. 6.7/10
2,5/5
faves: good times roll (5), bye bye love & all mixed up (ook moving in stereo en just what i needed). wel een lekker album, typisch voor die tijd naar mijn idee en lekker pop/rock/synth combo. niet alle nummers heel bijzonder, maar zeker een paar bangers.
I wish the synth player left some of the buttons alone. It sounds ahead of its time but you probably had to be there. All over the place.
Was ok quite liked it.
1. Good Times Roll - This is not a bad song by any means. This track is boring- it's safe, it's not risk taking. 7.65/10 2. My Best Friend's Girl - Miles better than the first track. The enchanting backing vocals carry the track. 8.1/10 3. Just What I Needed - 10/10 4. I'm In Touch With Your World - This song is a chore to listen to. It has its moments, but they're few and far between. 5.4/10 5. Don't Cha Stop - track is youthful and energetic, however, it suffers from the same flaw as most of the tracks on this album: it's boring. Encapsulating at times, but it fails to follow through on its hooks. It feels as though it's playing chicken with my ears. 6.85/10 6. You're All I've Got Tonight- Maybe my expectations were lowered, but I really liked this song. Steady energy, good guitars and a great use of keys. 7.64/10 7. Bye Bye Love - This is a boring album, full of mostly boring songs. The novelty of this track wears off decently quick. Just as I think the album is picking up, I get bored again. 6.8/10 8. Moving In Stereo - This is a song I can confidently say stands on it's own. Eerie and otherworldly. I believe it should have been the opening track. Not as good as some of the other songs - but it's better than the lesser tracks. 7.8/10 9. All Mixed Up - Entertaining and comforting. I can confidently say this is the second best song of the album. Addicting and mesmerizing. 8.85/10 -- I could have died without listening to this album. It was incredibly mediocre, however it does have some redeeming qualities. There are a few stand out tracks scattered throughout out, but if you have to listen to one song from this album, it'd be Just What I Needed. The Cars' self titled album is definitely not the worst debut album I have heard, but it isn't the best either. This album showcases the band's potential, but it also shows their flaws. Overall 7.6/10 showcases the band's potential, but also shows how boring they can be.
Pretty good album. Just What I Needed was my favorite, but other than that, not much I remember. Like the credits of some 80s movie. 5.5/10
I was surprised to find something that's so well regarded critically that I've genuinely never heard before. Like most art rock / New Wave, I thought it was nice enough but it didn't connect with me emotionally, no songs stood out especially.
I knew 6 songs. Good album
I thought I was going to like this a lot more than I did. I think the Cars are pretty much a Greatest Hits band and not all of those hits are all that great, although none of them are unpleasant.
Decent background music
- Really enjoy the hits - they're fun and have great hooks. - Some interesting instrumentation, especially in "I'm In Touch With Your World". - Some fun guitar riffs throughout, though I didn't love the thin tone. - The keys were kind of annoying, especially in the song "Bye Bye Love". The tone is often too tinny, filtered, or fake horn or organ-like, and I find them pretty cheesy at times. - The album is really front loaded with the hits, and the middle of the album falls off quite a bit until Moving in Stereo (though again those dated keys).
So many fantastic songs on this album but overall it felt very simple and I found I was losing attention to it. It’s by no means a bad album I think it was just a lot of the same vibe and chord progressions. The songs themselves I would listen to many again but the album as a whole I probably wouldn’t
I forgot how good Good Times Roll is. The second half of the album is soooo mid compared to the first. Although Moving in Stereo was a cool song. I love when music shifts ear to ear. Idk, because of the duds just ended up feeling middle of the pack.
Fine album, a lot of "o yeah that song" songs
MOR AOR with some synths and a hint of alternative music and new wave vocals. Bit lame but is what it is. 2.6.
Not too bad. Inoffensive. Added Just What I Needed which i hadn't heard before
Surprisingly Queen coded in parts. Not great, not terrible.
very bathroom at a bar thats overpriced but has graffiti everywhere music. also I was hoping my 666th album would be cooler
Nice songs, it just doesn't fully connect with me. 3.5 stars
Eu confesso que conhecia por nome algumas músicas de "The Cars", mas não tive a sensação de já tê-las escutado. Eu gostei bastante do começo do álbum e até acreditei que acabaria dando uma nota alta para ele, mas infelizmente ele me perdeu completamente a partir da metade. Algumas músicas são boas, mas nada além disso. Para além, achei interessante a estética da capa e acho que ela me levou a pensar em um álbum diferente do que eu acabei escutando. Tendo dito isso, minha nota é 2,5/5, mas aqui deixarei 3/5. Os destaques ficam para o trio de músicas que abre o álbum e me fez #empolgar: Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl; e Just What I Needed.
I understand why this is an important album, but a lot of the songs sounds very similar, especially the choruses.
Fun 35 min, mais pas de coup de coeur ni de highlight
не мое честно говоря
this was good!
Is this a Jojo reference?
Sonaaaaaaaaa! Hahaha
Soso I like 2 or 3 songs at the beginning
Es divertido pero no podría escucharlo muchas veces, mi canción favorita es Moving in Stereo
It was quite enjoyable, a rock album the experimented with some eclectic instruments and seemed to embody a cool, casual vibe