Recorded between 1977 & 1987. Includes liner notes by Brett Milano. This collection by one of the definitive bands of the new wave era is squarely centered on the hits. Fortunately for both us and them, the Cars had plenty of those. The amazing thing about this Boston-based quintet was the fact that they managed to achieve huge mainstream success without ever losing their "hip" credibility. The hits included on this collection show exactly what made the band so appealing; a mix of irresistible hooks, zippy synths, '60s-influenced guitar riffs, and the quirky vocals of Ric Ocasek and Ben Orr.
br>< Were it not for the bright, electronic sheen covering "My Best Friend's Girl," the song could have been a lost Buddy Holly Gem. The melodic beauty of the ballad "Drive" would have sounded at home in any era of pop music. All the historical nods aside, it was the angularity and futurism of the band's image and sound that made them seem so fresh after years of endless Led Zep marathons, and "Moving in Stereo," "It's All I Can Do" and "Dangerous Type" all make good use of the semi-robotic distance in Orr's vocals, Ocasek's elliptical lyrics, and Greg Hawkes's Kraftwerk-influenced electronic coloring. All these facets put together are what make the Cars' music so memorable, and this collection so useful.

20 of their best tracks available on 1 CD, including 'Just What I Needed', 'You're All I've Got Tonight', Touch and Go', 'Magic', 'You Might Think' & more. Rhino Records. 2002.
Digitally remastered by Dan Hersch (Digiprep).


  Violent Femmes CD
  by Violent Femmes
Our Price: $5.99 CD / $9.99 MP3
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An undisputed classic of the American rock underground, the Violent Femmes' 1982 self-titled debut still shines with its original luster. Quirky, catchy, innovative, and explosive, the Femmes made what was probably the first acoustic punk-folk- rockabilly-New Wave document for the dispossessed. The formula is as ingenious as it is simple--a trio playing guitar, bass, and drums runs through songs of adolescent angst, vulnerability, and social/sexual frustration.

In addition to their distinctive, minimal sound--guitarist Gordon Gano's rhythmic chord progressions filled out by Brian Ritchie's fluid bass and Victor De Lorenzo's aggressive brushwork on the drums--it is Gano's singing and superb songwriting that earmarks VIOLENT FEMMES. For the most part, Gano sounds like a psychotic, self-pitying, hormonally crazed teenager as he whines, stutters, and yowls his way through these remarkable songs. This two-disc deluxe edition includes rarities and live tracks, in addition to the paranoid "Kiss Off," the slinky "Gone Daddy Gone," and the lusty "Add It Up." And, of course, anyone who was a teenager in the '80s knows the glorious "Blister in the Sun," a seemingly permanent staple of dance venues across the United States.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.


  Every Breath You Take: The Classics CD
  by Police
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This is a DTS CD, which features DTS 5.1 Surround Sound technology and is playable on a DTS-capable 5.1 Surround Sound system.



Although frontman/bassist Sting wrote practically all the material, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland's contributions leave no doubt that this was a three-man effort. "Walking On The Moon" features Summers' reggae shadings and Copeland's precise percussive nuances, and their instrumental prowess turns a nonsensical title such as "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" into a quirky pop nugget. As for Sting's songwriting, most of it revolved around relationships and the different turns they take. Phases such as rapture ("Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"), manipulation ("Wrapped Around Your Finger," "Every Breath You Take") and desperation ("Can't Stand Losing You") are all deftly touched on by Gordon Sumner.

EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE: THE CLASSICS is an updated version of the 1986 collection EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE: THE SINGLES. The only differences in this collection are the addition of the "New Classic Rock Mix" of "Message In A Bottle," different artwork and a slightly reworded title. Cosmetic changes aside, this remains a solid representation of a unique pop trio whose studio output was a too-short five albums.


  Candy-O CD
  by Cars
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On their second album, the Cars take a small step to the left. While remaining a solidly mainstream new wave band (as they would throughout their career), the group gets a bit artier on CANDY-O, with impressive results. Like many of their peers, the band began to accentuate the angular, electronic/futuristic aspect of their sound, exploiting its inorganic quality for maximum irony and detachment.

On "Got a Lot on My Head" and "Double Life," Ric Ocasek seems ever more the alienated geek content to crack wise in a world he made from a do-it-yourself science kit. Ben Orr lends a slightly more emotive (but no less ominous) feel to the glossy, metallic surface of the title tune and the infectious "Let's Go." Ocasek's hipness quotient is displayed in the unconventional "Shoo Be Doo," a short, strange homage to his heroes/pals Suicide.

The Cars: Ric Ocasek (vocals, guitar); Ben Orr (vocals, bass); Elliot Easton (guitar, background vocals); Greg Hawkes (keyboards, background vocals); David Robinson (drums).
CMJ (1/5/04, p.6) - Ranked #5 in CMJ's "Top 20 Most-Played Albums of 1979".


  Gary Myrick And The Figures CD
  by Gary Myrick
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Recording information: Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA; The Whisky A Go Go, Hollywood, CA.
Arranger: Gary Myrick.
Personnel: Gary Myrick (vocals, guitar); Ed Beyer (keyboards); Jack White (drums).
Audio Mixer: Gary Ladinsky.

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