The Cars: Moving in Stereo — The Best of the Cars

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Videos by American Songwriter

The Cars
Moving in Stereo: The Best of the Cars
(Elektra)
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The first response to another reissue of Cars hits and near misses is likely going to be “do we really need this?” Since there is already 1995’s definitive double platter, 40 song, rarities heavy Just What I Needed and 2002’s 20 tune Complete Greatest Hits, the smart money  is on “no, not really.”

But for those just revving up to the Cars’ story, this 18 selection, 71 minute overview is surely worthwhile, with some caveats. The recent audio remastering of the Boston based act’s catalog has been supervised by Ric Ocasek, so the music has never sounded as crisp. And this does include “Sad Song,” an obscure tune from the band’s 2011 reformation (without the deceased Benjamin Orr), which makes it more of a complete recapitulation of the new wave/power pop ensemble’s full career arc. David Fricke’s nine page essay is another bonus as is a reasonably lively live version of “Everything You Say,” a sprightly tune from the band’s disappointing 1987 swan song Door to Door.

Most of the rest covers the Cars’ charting high points, albeit with frustrating omissions, in non-chronological order from their 1978 self-titled debut (“Just What I Needed,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” the title track, although oddly not “Good Times Roll”) onto 1984’s MTV approved Heartbeat City (“Drive” and “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight,” and interestingly the non-charting title track, with “Magic” and “Hello Again” that made the Top 20 both MIA). Additions such as “Candy-O” and “Don’t Tell Me Know” display the Cars’ more experimental side, showing how they shoehorned it into songs that were almost hits.

Still, if you aren’t a diehard follower or concerned about slightly more vibrant sound and already own either of the previously mentioned compilations, there isn’t enough here to recommend you trash those in favor of this. But for music fans late to the game, Moving in Stereo adequately displays the band’s strengths as they sleekly crossed modern rock with radio ready choruses and fits the bill for a single disc, compact Cars recap nearly as well as any other.

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