Music Reviews

The Cars – Move Like This – 2011 And ironic title, considering that when The Cars played live they were like watching a Disney animatronic band.Move Like This is exactly what one would expect from The Cars. Driving mid tempo, synth driven songs that could have been recorded in 1983.Where Continue Reading

The New Cars – It’s Alive – 2006 Okay, so this is a one off. But, I had to include it.First off, Rundgren has Ocasek’s nervous, forced, paranoia voice down.The backing harmonies, spot on.Easton’s Roy Thomas Baker/Brian May inspired solo…..The pulsating, driving beat…Hawkes’ layering synths…..the snarky lyrics…… THIS is what Continue Reading

Ric Ocasek – Nexterday – 2005 It took about 27 years but Ric Ocasek finally made his dream come true: An album of songs written by him, sung by him, produced by him and, most importantly, featuring instruments played by him. Well, not all. He didn’t play bass. And he didn’t Continue Reading

Ric Ocasek – Troublizing – 1997 four tracks produced by…. Billy Corgan? Really? The first thing I noticed on the very first track is that this sounds like a heavy, 90s era Cars tribute band. “The Next Right Moment” would have fit perfectly on Shake it Up, albeit without the Continue Reading

Ric Ocasek – Quick Change World – 1993 The familiar bass line peeks through the first real cut, “Don’t Let Go”, a song at once so familiar and yet, sort of fresh that, after the spoken word Laurie Anderson-esque opener fills me with hope, that this album might actually build Continue Reading

Ric Ocasek – Fireball Zone – 1991 The first sign of life from Mr. Ocasek in ages. Co-produced by…Nile Rodgers of all people, Fireball Zone opens with the scorching “Rockaway” and really just keeps cruising for a while.Easily much more accessible than his previous solo records, he seems to have Continue Reading

The Cars – Door to Door – 1987 Remember that muddy, cloudy, dense production that was smeared all over Panorama? It’s back. “Leave or Stay” might have actually been good had anyone thought to put some air between the instruments. Fortunately, the sparsity of arrangement on “You Are the Girl” Continue Reading

Benjamin Orr – The Lace – 1986 Do you like “Drive”? Oh, good. Then you would like 60% of this album. Wait, what? You say you don’t need to hear mid-tempo, synth driven, electric drum driven 2nd rate Cars songs?Oh. Then skip it. It’s not that The Lace is BAD. Continue Reading

Ric Ocasek – This Side of Paradise – 1986 Opening with an abstract, paranoid soundscape, “Keep on Laughing” suggests that it might be Ocasek’s Low or Lodger but, in no time, those familiar Cars tropes kick in, the steady, mechanical beat, the airless, futuristic, spacey environs, this time buttressed up against Continue Reading