The Cars' 1978 self-titled debut, issued on the Elektra label, is a genuine rock masterpiece.
The band jokingly referred to the album as their "true greatest-hits album," but it's no exaggeration -- all nine tracks are new wave/rock classics, still in rotation on rock radio.
Whereas most bands of the late '70s embraced either punk/new wave or hard rock, the Cars were one of the first bands to do the unthinkable -- merge the two styles together.
Add to it bandleader/songwriter Ric Ocasek's supreme pop sensibilities, and you had an album that appealed to new wavers, rockers, and Top 40 fans.
One of the most popular new wave songs ever, "Just What I Needed," is an obvious highlight, as are such familiar hits as "Good Times Roll," "My Best Friend's Girl," and "You're All I've Got Tonight." But like most consummate rock albums, the lesser-known compositions are just as exhilarating: "Don't Cha Stop," "Bye Bye Love," "All Mixed Up," and "Moving in Stereo," the latter featured as an instrumental during a steamy scene in the popular movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
With flawless performances, songwriting, and production (courtesy of Queen alumni Roy Thomas Baker), the Cars' debut remains one of rock's all-time classics.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Good Times RollRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 03:45 | 8 MB | 24 MB |
| 2 | My Best Friend's GirlRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 03:43 | 8 MB | 24 MB |
| 3 | Just What I NeededRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 03:43 | 8 MB | 26 MB |
| 4 | I'm in Touch With Your WorldRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 03:31 | 8 MB | 22 MB |
| 5 | Don't Cha StopRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 03:02 | 6 MB | 21 MB |
| 6 | You're All I've Got TonightRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 04:13 | 9 MB | 28 MB |
| 7 | Bye Bye LoveRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 04:13 | 9 MB | 29 MB |
| 8 | Moving in StereoGreg Hawkes, Ric Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 04:41 | 10 MB | 31 MB |
| 9 | All Mixed UpRic Ocasek | The Cars | Play | 04:17 | 9 MB | 28 MB |
| 35 mins | 80 MB | |||||
| 35 mins | 236 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roy Thomas Baker | Producer |
| 2 | Roberta Ballard | Production Coordination |
| 3 | The Cars | Primary Artist |
| 4 | Ron Coro | Art Direction |
| 5 | Elliot Easton | Guitar, Vocals, Vocals (Background) |
| 6 | Elliot Gilbert | Photography |
| 7 | Kevin Gray | CD Preparation |
| 8 | Greg Hawkes | Composer, Keyboards, Percussion, Saxophone, Vocals, Vocals (Background) |
| 9 | Steve Hoffman | Remastering |
| 10 | Jerome Jordan | Collage |
| 11 | Johnny Lee | Design |
| 12 | George Marino | Mastering |
| 13 | Marcia McGovern | Pre-Production Coordinator |
| 14 | Ric Ocasek | Bass, Composer, Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals |
| 15 | Benjamin Orr | Bass, Vocals |
| 16 | David Robinson | Drums, Vocals |
| 17 | Nigel Walker | Assistant Engineer, Engineer |
| 18 | Geoff Workman | 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). |