The Cars - Panorama
#318
by Robbie Rist
The Cars
Panorama
Genre: Neu Wave Rawk
Allen’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Robbie’s Rating: 3 out of 5
Allen’s Highlights:
Panorama
Touch & Go
Gimme Some Slack
Don’t All Me No
Getting Through
Best Song (which you know is bad sign when its the single): Touch and Go.
So, Ali and I are about halfway through listening to this and she says, ‘Sounds like a contractual obligation record’.
She’s right.
I mean, not sure if they HAD to put a record out that year and this was the result.
But it sure sounds like it.
If this was a debut record by an untested entity, I would think it bodes well for a very creative future.
Unfortunately, this organization put out arguably on of the best debut/sophomore records in pop history.
This feels pretty phoned in.
Is there goodness? Sure there is. Every song has a perfectly serviceable hook (when all is said and done, Ocasek was a pretty serious song craftsman who, at his worst is pleasantly, quirkily listenable. Also, drop the needle on any guitar solo and you will be handsomely rewarded (although there aren’t as many as I would like....). Easton is the Clem Burke of this band. Perfectly fine without him but not even remotely as good.
But the whole affair feels like a place keeper. Like a band taking a collective breath while trying to figure out what do do next.
Or maybe they were tired that year.
Even the production feels murky and lackluster.
Its decent background music but hardly a listening experience one would go back to visit over and over.
Your mileage may vary.
https://open.spotify.com/album/56eHYN6Y02evhG49RjZL2V?si=jlxBhqKxSvO0XsgOrIXSHw
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