The Cars
Move Like This
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The Cars frontman Ric Ocasek said he'd never reform the band who epitomised the perfect hybrid between rock and new-wave pop in the late 1970s and mid-80s, but it's good he changed his mind. By and large, the group's first album in 24 years is more of a worthy successor to Heartbeat City than The Cars' swansong, Door To Door, ever was.
The group's best new songs, which include opener Blue Tip, Keep On Knocking and Hits Me, all feature Elliot Easton's simple staccato rock riffs with plenty of flourishes by keyboardist Greg Hawkes. The latter's chirpy simplicity transports the group back to the 80s while still distinctively and seamlessly reinstating themselves as, well, The Cars.
The death of bassist and vocalist Benjamin Orr during the group's hiatus is felt though, most notably when Ocasek attempts to imitate him on Soon, which sounds like a turgid attempt to imitate Drive's chart-topping success.
But plenty of quick riffs, bouncy beats, handclaps and the 62-year-old Ocasek's simple poetic lyrics mean that this updated model moves just fine. They might not be exceeding the speed limit here, but for longtime fans it's a more than welcome return for a group most thought would never take a ride again.
