The Cars - Heartbeat City

This is another great Cars album which is almost unfairly laden with hits and/or great songs. "Hello Again," "Magic," "Drive," "You Might Think," and "Why Can't I Have You" are all classic cars tracks. Most of the tracks on this album feature The Cars' perfect blend of synths and guitars. These are the musical fathers of The Rentals, and don't you forget it.

The only song on this album which doesn't really fit the rest is "Drive." 1984 was well into the years of the obligatory power ballad, and even though The Cars weren't a hair metal band, they still churned out a song for high school freshmen to awkwardly shuffle to under the light of a half-dimmed gymnasium. At times I find I really hate "Drive" and its formulaic lyrics, and other times I think it's brilliant. I can understand those who hate the song just as much as I understand those who love it.

Aside from the one polarizing tune in "Drive," the rest of the album is the pulsing synth rock you know and love. "Hello Again" is my favorite track on the album as it conveys the 1980's trademark "is this a happy song or a sad song, I can't figure it out?" vibe. If you're into The Cars, you really should own this album.