Rhino Drives Us Home Again!

Review Score: (10/10)
"The Cars" was a classic debut and one of the first bands with a new wave association to actually make it big. Their blend of Roxy/Bowie ironic pop and AM radio hooks made "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Just What I Needed" sound like Top 40 classics from play one, and the rest of the album skirted experimental stuff like "Moving In Stereo" with the classic nervy album rock ready sounds of "Good Times Roll." But it took the remaster/reissue wizards at Rhino to bring out the best in an already classic record. Roy Thomas Baker's spare production is given a sharper focus in this remaster, and it makes what originally leapt from the speakers sound fresh as that first day you tore the shrink wrap from your twelve inch LP. It's really that much of a revelation.

But even more of a reason to own this is disc two. I am rarely one for bonus features on CD's, but this stuff is great. Basically, a demo for demo (excluding "Good Times Roll" played live) version of the album in its running order, it's a stunning look at the work in progress. Frankly, "The Cars" pre-label signing didn't sound that different from "The Cars" except with a better recording budget and a touch less polish.

For an album that still gets regular play on my stereo, that says a lot. If you love this album as much as I still do, pony up the extra couple of bucks and be prepared to be wowed, loud. Now how about deluxe versions of "Candy-O" and "Heartbeat City"?

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