THE CARS CDS AND SOLO CDS

THE CARS (A) Their debut cd from 1978 is one of the best cds (albums) of that year, I would even put it in the top 20 of the decade. Ever song seems like it was made for the radio, made to be played loud, made to played at parties, and made to sing a long with.
Good Times Roll starts the cd and that is just what the cd does, let the good time roll. "My Best Friend's Girl Friend"is infectious, and who hasn't been in the situation of the song. "Just What I Needed" is one of my top 3 Car's songs. From the opening beat of this song to the closing, you can't but help play air guitar and sing along.
"You're All I Got Tonight", again who hasn't been there, the band seems to have their hand on the pulse of all young people of the time. "Moving In Stereo" has cool sound effects in the song (which would become a staple for the band), and get ready to play air drums to this song and most of the cd.
Even the lesser know songs and A list. You can't go wrong with this cd.
They called this cd a new wave cd, I call it a great rock and roll cd!!

CANDY-O (A-) Another great cd from the band. "Let's Go" is one of my favorite songs by the band. The cd is full of energy with songs like "Candy-O", "Got A Lot On My Head", and "Night Spots". and has a gentler side with songs like "It's All I Can Do". Plus plenty of the techno geek sounds in the songs, to know it is the Cars.

PANORAMA (D+) Is a very dark cd, and nowhere near as fun or catchy as the first 2 cds. "Don't Tell Me No", "Gimme Some Slack" and "Touch And Go" are the only songs I really care for on this very dull cd.

SHAKE IT UP (B-) Production still isn't up to the first cds, but it is better than there 3rd cd. The songwriting is better too. The songs once again have the bouncy feel to them. First 3 songs start the cd off good, with "Since Your Gone","Shake It Up" and "I'm Not The One". "Cruiser" is the only song I really don't care for. I think with better production, this cd would have been close to the first two.

HEARTBEAT CITY (A+) Awesome production and songwriting on this cd. But with Robert Lang on board as producer what else would you expect. Cds starts off with the infectious "Hello Again" and the whole cd is like that. Cd is probably best known for the songs "Drive" and "You Might Think", but there are a lot of other great songs on this cd like "Why Can't I Have You" and "It's Not The Night". Their Best cd.

GREATEST HITS. (A) The new song "Tonite She Comes" deserves to be on this hit package. It is good. As for the rest of the cd, a well thought out package of their hits.

DOOR TO DOOR (B) Is a more laid back cd, and while the songs all sound good, it is lacking the energy and quirkiness that is found in good Car's songs. "You Are The Girl", "Strap Me In" and "Fine Line" are key examples of good songs, and while they try to rise up to something, that are just average. The only song that shows any spark is the title song "Door To Door".

JUST WHAT I NEEDED; THE CARS ANTHOLOGY (A) is a great double cd. There are 40 songs on this release, with all the hits, plus B-sides, demos, and unreleased songs. Well worth buying even if you own their Greatest Hits cd.

RIC OCASEK SOLO CDS

BEATITUDE (D+) Avery boring cd with stale production. "Jimmy Jimmy" and "Quick One" save this bore from an F. He tries to make the song sound like the Cars (he writes 99% of the Cars songs and sings about half), but nothing connects up to you on this

THIS SIDE OF PARADISE (A-) Better production and a better cut of songs. Cd starts out rockin with "Keep On Laughin" and goes thru all the gears with slow songs like "True Love", bouncy songs "True To You", mesmerizing "Emotion In Motion". Just about everything covered by the Cars is here, and it makes for a good ride

FIREBALL ZONE (B) A darker cd, but it avoids the pitfalls of Panorama with better songwriting and production. The first half of the cd sounds more Cars like, while the second half is heavier. Still worth owning. Rock Away is my favorite song on this cd.

QUICK CHANGE WORLD (A-) A lighter and bouncier cd than the last. A lot of the songs could have been on any given Cars cd (except for Panorama cd). "Hopped Up" is just that, "Come Alive" and "Don't Let Go" 10 years earlier would have been hits, and that is a shame, there are a lot of good songs on this cd.

TROUBLIZING (B-) is another heavy guitar driven cd, but this cd isn't as dark as one would expect. Billy Corgan is guest vocalist on some songs, taking Ric back to the Cars' days of 2 vocalist. The songs are all good, but there are no standouts.

NEXTERDAY (B) is another good effort at Ric for a comeback. He starts the cd off with a bang, "Crackpot", "Bottom Dollar", and "Don't Lose Me". It also ends on a good note with "It Get's Crazy" while theses 4 songs are the stand outs, they are not flash of glory songs of old. Rest of the cd hold my interest, but nothing boring either, and nothing else worth writing about.

BENJAMIN ORR SOLO CDS

THE LACE (B+) Listen to Orr song and you know that he is the voice of the Cars. He may not have written any the cars songs, but he shared vocals with Ric. Where Ric's were often more quirkier, Orr's we smooth, yet powerful. He after was the voice behind "Drive", "My Best Friend's Girlfriend", among others. The Lace shows Orr's strong points, that could have fit on almost any Cars cd. But for the most part with Production, HEARTBEAT CITY would have been a good home for them. "Too Hot To Stop" is the perfect song to start the cd off with, very upbeat and Cars sounding. "Stay The Night" is a beautiful song, were Orr's voice purrs out the lyrics. Would have been a good follow up to the Cars song "Drive". All the songs are top notch, and nothing really falls below good. A same Ben never did any other solo cds, because is one and only cd is great.

THE NEW CARS-

Basically this is Elliot and Greg the only members of the original band. Orr had died 5 years earlier, and Rick and Robinson declining. They brought in a couple other people and singer Todd Rundgren, whom I have never heard of before. They recorded a live cd and toured, and have not been heard from since.

IT'S ALIVE (A-) This is the live cd they recorded and toured off of. When it first came out I was not going to buy it, for how do you replace both original lead singers, who have different styles. Well you do it with a guy named Todd. When I heard the song "Not Tonight", I was blown away. The other 2 new songs hold up good to the classic cars sound. As far as the classic songs, Todd and the band are just awe inspiring. Todd handles both lead singer roles with out being a impersonator. He injects a little of his style (I'm guessing, since I have never heard of him before) but keeps the songs true to the sound. One song where there is a difference in the song is "Drive", which was a huge hit when it came out. Most of the heavy keys are gone, and are replace with acoustic guitars. This for some reason brings the song to a more personable level, without losing any of its punch. Orr sang this song smooth, and Todd while not as smooth as Orr brings the song home. There are a couple of Todd's solo songs (again guessing) on this cd, and if is his typical songs, I can see why he was chosen to take the vocals and be part of the band. Now I have just one question, when is the cd of new material coming out?

NEAL SCHON SOLO CDS

Neal Schon, is the greatest guitarist on the planet, at least in my opinion. The man can play anything, and any style of music. But no matter what he plays or what he does, he will always be best know for his work in Journey. Plus he did awesome work in Bad English, Hardline, and Soul Sirkus. Journey of course is his most popular work and most main stream. His solo cds that I have range from awesome to poor, but even the bad cds have something good on them.




UNTOLD PASSION (C-) is my least favorite solo work by Schon. For the most part the music is his furthest from Journey, and times seems like he trying too hard to be different, while being the same. I do like the songs "Wasting Time" and "Hooked On Love". Plus "I'm Talking To You" ain't that bad either. The singing on the cd is not great at all. The one Thing that made Perry so good in Journey, is that he had Schon to push him and back him up. Plus he teams up with Jan Hammer on this cd, and I have to be honest, I really don't care for Hammer's playing or writing.



LATE NITE (A) This is my favorite Schon solo cd. The man plays with such passion on this cd. I criticized his singing on the above, and I liked the follow up even less, HERE TO STAY (which I no longer own). But on this cd, Schon hits the notes, and the music and singing are a good fit. The songs on this cd posses a soul of their own at times, and you find yourself wanting more, even on 9 plus minute "The Theme". At times you can almost hear were Perry could have lifted these up even higher, if he was singing, but he is not, and really I don't care that he's not. This cd is all about Schon and his music. Schon brings different writers and that seems to have helped too. If I had to give something bad, it is not long enough. Late Nite 2 anyone?


BEYOND THE THUNDER (A) is my second favorite cd by Schon. This time it is strictly instrumental. Plus he has help from former Journeyman J. Cain. The music is very laid back and mostly acoustic. A very relaxing cd, that keeps you focused on the music. "Big Moon", "Cool Breeze" and "Call Of The Wild" are my favorites on the cd. This is my favorite acoustical cd, and leads me to wonder, why hasn't Journey done something like this, backed with a tour?



ELECTRIC WORLD (C+) 2 cds and 21 songs are just too much. Cut this cd down to one and it would have been a lot better. When I listen to, I take one of the cds and go with it. There are some good songs on this, but for the most part it seems like Schon is trying to update his post Perry Journey sound, or even do a Carlos Santana sound. Also at times the songs seem unfocused.



VOICE (A-) I like what Schon did here. Took other people's songs (Twain, Bryan Adams, Mariah Carey, Anne Lennox) and slightly redid them as instrumentals. It works!! Granted there are a handful of songs I don't know, but they come off good too. Some amazing work, that really needs to be listened to.





I ON YOU (B+) Another great cd. All instrumental, and very well played. Schon always plays with a fire that burns with him, and this cd is no different. The first 3 songs on the cd are a true showcase to that, "Blue Passion", " I On U", and "Timeless Motion" and the cd ends on the same note with the last 3 songs being very strong also. There are a couple songs in the middle that are a little weaker than rest of the cd. But still a great cd.