Who's Gonna Drive You Home?

The Cars new album, Move Like This, comes out May 10.   Now, You Might Think,  "What do I care?" (See what I did, there?)

The Cars never sounded old.   They always sounded way ahead of their time, but they did it without being too hip for the room. They were "new wave" yet sounded "poppy." The radio was full of Disco in 1978. Their debut album planted a flag in the ground that said you could be current without sounding like everyone else (Van Halen  also did this in 1978 and pioneered another type of music.) They went on to have big hits in the late 70's and early 80's. Not suprisingly, a lot of music that came out later in the 80's sounded like theirs (Simple Minds,  Tears For Fears, etc)

The late 80's came, music tastes changed and the Cars broke up. Their co-singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek (and husband to model Paulina Porizkova-yes, a novice writer like me HAS to include this,) went on to produce albums by Weezer, Bad Religion, Bad Brains, and No Doubt. Sadly, their bass player and other co-lead singer, Ben Orr died in the 90's.

Fast forward to now: It's not that suprising that we have a Cars reunion and new music. Their music fits on Classic Hits stations but doesn't sound old like some songs do. A lot of music now considered "Alternative" sounds like the Cars (Phoenix and Neon Trees come to mind.)

I never really see bands citing the Cars as influences, but the similarities are there. I guess when you influence people without them even knowing it, you're pretty influential.

So enjoy some new Cars music. And if you say "Hey, this sounds exactly like old Cars music," you're right!!!