By augmenting their sound with more synthesizers, electronics, and drum machines, the Cars' fourth release, Shake It Up, helped bridge their hard rock-based early work (1978's The Cars) with the futuristic-pop direction of 1984's Heartbeat City.
The band's sound may have been evolving with each succeeding album, but Ric Ocasek was still writing compelling new wave compositions despite all the change, many of which would ultimately become rock & roll standards.
The up-tempo title track remains a party favorite to this day (reaching number four on the singles charts), while the melancholic "Since You're Gone" remains one of Ocasek's best-ever tales of heartbreak.
Intriguing videos were made for both songs, officially introducing the band to the MTV age.
Like its predecessor, 1980's Panorama, filler is present ("This Could Be Love," "Maybe Baby"), but many lesser-known album tracks prove to be highlights: the almost entirely synth-oriented tracks "Think It Over" and "A Dream Away," the rocking "Cruiser," plus the more pop-oriented "I'm Not the One" and "Victim of Love." Although Shake It Up was another resounding commercial success, their next album would be the one that made the Cars one of rock's quintessential acts of the '80s.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Since You're GoneRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 03:31 | 0 MB | 22 MB |
| 2 | Shake It UpRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 03:31 | 0 MB | 22 MB |
| 3 | I'm Not the OneRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 04:09 | 0 MB | 25 MB |
| 4 | Victim of LoveRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 04:24 | 0 MB | 27 MB |
| 5 | CruiserRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 04:54 | 0 MB | 31 MB |
| 6 | A Dream AwayRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 05:39 | 0 MB | 35 MB |
| 7 | This Could Be LoveGreg Hawkes, Ric Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 04:26 | 0 MB | 27 MB |
| 8 | Think It OverRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 04:56 | 0 MB | 31 MB |
| 9 | Maybe BabyRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 05:03 | 0 MB | 30 MB |
| 0 mins | 0 MB | |||||
| 40 mins | 254 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roy Thomas Baker | Producer |
| 2 | The Cars | Primary Artist |
| 3 | Elliot Easton | Guitar, Vocals |
| 4 | Greg Hawkes | Composer, Keyboards, Vocals |
| 5 | George Marino | Mastering |
| 6 | Thom Moore | Assistant Engineer |
| 7 | Ric Ocasek | Composer, Guitar, Vocals |
| 8 | Benjamin Orr | Bass, Vocals |
| 9 | David Robinson | Drums, Vocals |
| 10 | Ian Taylor | Engineer |
| 11 | Walter Turbitt | Assistant Engineer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |