Though The Cars didn’t make it into this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class, it’s always a good time to remember the Boston-based New Wave icons–and a new box set and compilation aim to do just that.
On March 11, Rhino will release The Elektra Years 1978-1987, a six-disc box set offering all six of the band’s albums–The Cars (1978), Candy-O (1979), Panorama (1980), Shake It Up (1981), Heartbeat City (1984) and Door to Door (1987)–all newly remastered. (This marks the first time that any album outside of the band’s powerhouse debut gets a sonic upgrade!) Vocalist/guitarist Ric Ocasek oversaw the mastering, while drummer David Robinson, who helped create the band’s original album covers, served as art director for the set. (For vinyl enthusiasts, a limited edition 180-gram version will be available on June 7, with each record pressed on a different color vinyl.)
Later, May 6 sees the release of Moving in Stereo: The Best of The Cars, a new single-disc compilation that rounds up the best of the band’s output from their entire career, including their incredible run on Elektra Records and even the band’s 2011 effort Move Like This. (That last record was, of course, only a partial reunion, after the passing of vocalist/bassist Benjamin Orr in 2000.)
Moving in Stereo includes 18 tracks, including the rare single mix of “I’m Not the One” included on the band’s original Greatest Hits album, and two unreleased tracks: a live version of “Everything You Say” from the band’s final Elektra album Door to Door (1987) and a remix of “Sad Song” from Move Like This. Surviving members of the band–Ocasek, Robinson, guitarist Elliot Easton and keyboardist Greg Hawkes–picked out the tunes on the compilation, with Ocasek again overseeing remastering by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound.
Full details of the box and compilation are below!
The Cars, The Elektra Years 1978-1987 (Elektra/Rhino, 2016)
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. TBD
Disc 1: The Cars (Elektra 6E-135, 1978)
Disc 2: Candy-O (Elektra 5E-507, 1979)
Disc 3: Panorama (5E-514, 1980)
Disc 4: Shake It Up (5E-567, 1981)
Disc 5: Heartbeat City (Elektra 60296, 1984)
Disc 6: Door to Door (Elektra 60747, 1987)
The Cars, Moving in Stereo: The Best of The Cars (Elektra/Rhino, 2016)
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
- Just What I Needed
- Since You’re Gone
- Let’s Go
- You Might Think
- Shake It Up
- Drive
- Tonight She Comes
- My Best Friend’s Girl
- Don’t Tell Me No
- You’re All I’ve Got Tonight
- I’m Not the One (Single Mix)
- Candy-O
- Heartbeat City
- Touch and Go
- Moving in Stereo
- Dangerous Type
- Sad Song (Philippe Zdar Mix) *
- Everything You Say (Live) *
Tracks 1, 8, 10 and 15 from The Cars (Elektra, 1978)
Tracks 2 and 5 from Shake It Up (Elektra, 1981)
Tracks 3, 12 and 16 from Candy-O (Elektra, 1979)
Tracks 4, 6 and 13 from Heartbeat City (Elektra, 1984)
Tracks 7 and 11 from Greatest Hits (Elektra, 1985)
Tracks 9 and 14 from Panorama (Elektra, 1980)
Original version of Track 17 from Move Like This (Hear Music, 2011)
Original version of Track 18 from Door to Door (Elektra, 1987)
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Hard to believe they’re leaving “Magic” off the compilation (along with a couple of other top 20 singles).
Oh no not again although perhaps this is the best way to go rather than buy yet another best of/greatest hits?
If i am counting correctly this will be their 5th compilation? This one looks more comprehensive? As we have
The Cars Greatest Hits,Complete Greatest Hits,The Very best Of,and Just What I Needed Anthology. I would most likely go for their entire studio output. Or as a best of do you choose the new compilation, as it may have a better sound quality or one of the 4 i have already mentioned. Hmmm
Why the hell didn’t Ocasek seize the opportunity to go back through the live tapes of the bands performances and release an epic live box set – a little like what Echo & the Bunnymen did with Ocean Rain? What a missed opportunity. If you are a Cars fan you already have the studio albums and best of’s twice over…
Harry there is a “live” album out now or due any day on Amazon UK
It’s entitled Vanishing Point The Los Angeles Broadcast 1979 not sure what it would be like
There have already been great-sounding “audiophile” remasters of every album but “Door to Door” and “Panorama”–from the likes of Mobile Fidelity, DCC, and Audio Fidelity–but it’s nice to see this box set for those who don’t have the aforementioned. (Years ago, there was also an Elektra HDCD remaster of “Panorama” that sounded pretty good to these ears.) Now here’s hoping they get the mastering right. Also, it would’ve been cool to see a bonus disc of outtakes, non-LP tracks, etc. Maybe there’s just not much in the vault. I’m hardly an expert.
The lack of bonus tracks is a real disappointment, considering that the Cars had some good non-LP tracks – not to mention the possibility of rare or unreleased stuff. But, that seems to be Rhino’s standard MO for these boxes. Sony’s been much better about it – the Cheap Trick and Harry Nilsson boxes, for instance, and the upcoming Elvis box, have bonus tracks galore.
It’s a pretty poor compilation once again another cheap cash in, i would imagine too although they have remastered all studio albums and placed them in a box set, at a pretty decent price, once again with these new packages no doubt there are no liner notes, photos, extras just a simple package just the cd in a clamshell. What can i say just what i needed? Can you believe this is a best of number 6, a bit of a joke! Hmmm we have
Greatest Hits, Complete Greatest Hits, Just What I Needed Anthology Original album package and now a new best of. Oh well.
The Cars music has not held up very well, IMHO. Still like “Let’s Go” though…..
There’s always the “Candy-O” monitor mixes as filler.
I had a supposed “cd-r acetate” for Panorama that sounded different from the HDCD and the Japanese pressing of Panorama.
I had thought the Japanese reissues that came out around 2010/2011 were remastered.
Heartbeat City album era had some 12″ mixes too
Mike thanks for the info on The Cars the price @ the moment is amazing at Amazon UK, just a quick question in regards to the newly remastered albums just out of curiousity, i notice most times when artists re-release these new packages the packaging is pretty poor, no liner notes, just a simple disc and nothing else, as far as you know the forthcoming Car’s box set will that be the same?
$13.99 at Amazon US right now – 4/5/16 @11:15am PST