The Cars: Move Like This

The Cars: Move Like This

2011

Hear Music/Concord Music Group

Format I Own it on: Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1. Blue Tip  2. Too Late  3. Keep On Knocking  4. Soon  5. Sad Song  6. Free  7. Drag On Forever  8. Take Another Look  9. It's Only  10. Hits


There's been a surprising trend in music lately, where long-defunct bands who seemingly ended their careers with shitty albums reunite to put out a from-out-of-nowhere record that's super representative and cleans up the band's legacy...In this category we find...



Beach Boys: That's Why God Made the Radio...



Devo: Something For Everybody...



Black Sabbath: 13...



...and the Cars: Move Like This...

The only thing surprising about this album is how surprisingly Cars-like it is...As soon as "Blue Tip" starts the sound is instantly recognizable...They've updated their sound but not too much...It's a little thicker but the vintage keyboard lines are there, as well as the almost-clean classic rock guitar tones...

Similarly, "Too Late" and "Sad Song" sound like they could have been outtakes from the "Shake It Up" album, which appears to be their default mode now...The only stylistic break is the heavy metal-ish "Keep On Knocking" which sounds so much like Neil Young's "Keep On Rocking in the Free World" that they might as well have called it "Keep On Knocking in the Free World."  You can sing the words along to it perfectly...Huh, don't know how they could missed that one...

Unfortunately bassist and co-vocalist Benjamin Orr couldn't attend the reunion, being dead and all, and his presence is sorely missed (his smoother vocals were always a good counterpoint to Ric's more idiosyncratic style), but his absence doesn't sink the album (although you can't help but think of how much better the synth ballad "Soon" would have been with Ben singing it...This song was made for his vocal style...)



Sure, "Move Like This" doesn't top "Candy-O" or their 1978 debut, but it sure as hell beats "Door to Door." As a Cars enthusiast this was exactly what I was hoping their reunion album would sound like...If they never put out another album, at least we can say the Cars went out on a high note...

So let's check out "Blue Tip" by the Cars...Enjoy...