The Cars - Greatest Hits

We connect to music through so many other mediums that often, influence has a huge impact on our overall, subjective feeling of music. I can remember my dad always playing The Cars’ Greatest Hits and it blares in the forefront of my mind when I think of certain memories that it’s definitely become something of a classic to me. I’m not sure what The Cars sounded like on their albums but whether they planned it or not, this album of collective hits is surely sequenced like a proper album.

Looking at it lately, now that I’ve been playing a lot, I noticed the 1985 release year. I don’t feel like asking but maybe it was played a lot during that year I was born. Maybe they had time to buy it since it came out in October and well, it could’ve been playing a lot in the background. I’m not too positive but it’s a great album for sure. One that still showcases just how good Ric Ocasek sounded; maybe even way ahead of his time?

I remember a specific time where my dad drove me early in the morning to a band competition on a brisk and early Saturday. I remember it being dark outside and with a chilly temperature; we drove with the heater all the way down the road. We’ve always lived far from everything: far from school, far from other family, far from jobs, far from the outside community, haha. So naturally the ride allowed for a smooth 25 minutes of streaming music to be enjoyed. I guess that’s where I got my notion of always wanting to play CDs in the car and allowing the albums to flow throughout: it was always something my dad deeply enjoys too. But I remember feeling annoyingly sleepy but still, intrigued by the sheer way the songs began. The introductions of the first few songs (the flickering guitar intertwined with stamping drums on “Just What I Needed” and how it built into a groovy, synth-heavy design, the dribbling, tapping rhythm of “Since You’re Gone,” as it alludes to the guitar’s dramatic entrance and the drum’s pounding scope, the syncopated style of the synth as it clashed against the guitar on “Good Times Roll” and how the drums come thundering in) was what really had me dialed in to the album’s moods. It surely sounds dated now because of how the production relies on the mist and movements of the 80s but there’s a refreshing vibe of nostalgia with its mood.

Through the blend, I’m guessing that one of the last songs I heard on the trip was “Touch and Go” and how it sounded blissfully sweet to me. The way the synth clasps in the background and the way the snare and bass drum play off the bass line for what’s a terrific rhythm section was a brilliant combination. I especially dig the way the songs always melted around each other and how each one was layered with careful compositional aspects intact: a building of sounds, clever and subtle but assured. You can hear the chugging ring of the guitar and the various tones decorating the song with touches of 80s glam all over. Eventually I would snag the CD away from my dad’s collection and surely took it all over the place during my high school days afterwards. It still sounds good to me now. Here are some of the songs off it. – Bryan