The Cars - CD

The Cars
In the fall of 1978, punk stood confused by its lack of commercial acceptance. Enter the new wave, a challenging but potentially more radio-friendly sub-category. The Cars, a Boston fivesome, became the genre's defining success story. Their debut went platinum on the strength of their blend of traditional rock approaches (notably the dark romanticism and jagged textures of Roxy Music), the reinvigorated energy of punk, and leader Ric Ocasek's gift with the wrenching rock hook. The Cars' first song, a contrarily unboogiefied number called "Good Times Roll," captured the band's ambivalence nicely. But Ocasek's searing songs rolled over such subtexts, combining paeans to quirky sexuality ("My Best Friend's Girl") and unrequited lust ("All Mixed Up") with good old-fashioned explosive rock-radio candy ("You're All I've Got Tonight," "Just What I Needed"). Bill Wyman, Barnes & Noble