The Cars

Unlocked (Docurama)

If you can handle elementary camerawork and shockingly hideous haircuts, it’s worth remembering that the Cars were the first band to apply the lessons of New Wave and European art-pop – brevity, copious synthesizers – to mass-market rock. Spanning 1978-1987, Cape Cod dive bars to sports arenas (including Houston’s Summit), the Boston quintet’s 15 performances can be distractingly dated, down to Ric Ocasek’s piano tie. Still, deeper cuts like “Gimme Some Slack” demonstrate real teeth, the pricklier side of a band far too many know only from that stupid “Just What I Needed” Circuit City commercial. ***

This article appears in December 22 • 2006.

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