Move Like This

The Cars reunites after a two decade long hiatus

The American New Wave rock band The Cars is a great example of how something old forgotten a long time ago becomes something new. The team was formed in 1976 by vocalist and rhythm-guitarist Ric Ocasek, guitarist and back-vocalist Elliot Easton, multi-instrumentalist Greg Hawkes, drummer David Robinson and bassist and vocalist Benjamin Orr. The musicians released several successful works with this line-up including the 1978’s eponymous debut album. All in all six full-length collections were recorded in nine years the last of them being Door To Door – The Cars disbanded soon after that releases, in 1988. In his interviews Ric Ocasek would often sat that he saw no chances for the collective’s reunion. Up till the new millennium’s beginning some of them pursued solo careers, David Robinson was running his own restaurants, while Ben Orr was fighting against pancreatic cancer – the bassist passed away in 2000. The year 2005 saw Easton and Hawkes form The New Cars with vocalist, musician and composer Todd Rundgren, record a number of Rundgren’s and The Cars’ hits and some new compositions which then comprised the successful collection It’s Alive. Yet the real surprise for the fans was the last year’s news of Ric Ocasek finally deciding to forget former differences and the band’s entire line-up with the exception of late Benjamin Orr finds itself is studio again – this May is signed with The Cars’ seventh album Move Like This.

Songs for various genres’ fans

The album Move Like This is recorded on the basis of same formula as The Cars’ early recordings: ten short vivid tracks, each with its own mood and stylistic coloring, not exceeding the forty-minute length limit. These songs are addressed to various genres’ fans making it clear that the musicians are not willing to stick to anything in particular. The record opens with Blue Tip, a contagious number built on jumping synthesizer sounds, joyful drums and an emotional vocal part. Quite a different picture can be found on the heavy number Keep On Knocking with distorted guitars, the low and high notes contrast on vocals, an appropriate solo. The next turn is the slow love ballad Soon, which seems to arrive from the late 1980s melodramas, filled with repent and a promise not to repeat one’s mistakes again. The first single Sad Song does not actually correspond to its title – it rather sounds like a sarcastic rebuff to which one can even dance, whereas Free is one of the most contagious tracks on the album, it features a broken rhythm and a chorus with the word ‘free’ underlined by the rest of the musicians’ backing vocals. Another heavy rock number Drag On Forever conquers with the sax part provided by Greg Hawkes, incredibly harmonious guitar parts and a memorable tune. Contrasting with it, Take Another Look is a stunningly beautiful and lyrical power pop on which Duran Duran-like synthesizer parts are combined with Bryan Ferry’s songs soulfulness. The song Its Only with its impetuous rhythm and blending of guitars, synthesizer and vocals into one line is perfect for a live performance, and the album closer is another rock composition Hits Me, not the most impressive number vocally but pleasing with great guitar and keyboards work.

No failure tracks on Move Like This

As The Cars was releasing one album after another the critics would find more diversity in its music: some songs served as examples of igniting power-pop, others were filled with ballad rock’s romance, and the third charged one with the rockabilly rhythm. The album Move Like This continues this and other tendencies in such a manner that the twenty-two year long hiatus seems to have never even existed, which pleases and upsets one at the same time. It pleases because we can once again enjoy The Cars wonderful music in which contemporary notes have appeared along with the preserved slightly raw sound. It upsets mainly because of the thought of the enormous time period during which this great band could have recorded more than one hit, moreover, the entire line-up could have got together for this time’s greater part. Yet no time machine is yet invented, which is why the musicians have been only left to accept their mistakes and do their best during the recording. And so they did choosing not to invite anybody to Ben Orr’s place – Greg Hawkes is playing his bass, and Ric Ocasek is singing all the leading vocals parts. Though the musicians do feel their friend’s absence their efforts are definitely justified: there are no failure tracks on Move Like This. The album is listened at a breath giving The Cars’ old fans a feeling of nostalgia, surprising everyone who is still unacquainted with the band’s works and making the skeptics nod their heads in approval to the music’s pace.