The Cars - Heartbeat City (2016, MFSL) [SACD] PS3 ISO

Heartbeat City is the fifth studio album by American rock band the Cars. Released in 1984, it was produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange. Picking up a positive commercial response, the Cars had many tracks getting airplay, and singles “Drive” and “You Might Think” in particular both became Top 10 hits. The album also received supportive reviews from several critics; for example, Robert Christgau stated that “the glossy approach the Cars invented has made this the best year for pure pop in damn near twenty, and it’s only fair that they should return so confidently to form.”

MTV had become a major marketing tool by 1984, and the Cars were one of the first bands to use the new video medium to their advantage. The band’s fifth album, Heartbeat City (Elektra), spawned several imaginative and memorable videos, which translated into massive chart and commercial success, making it one of the biggest releases of the year. Produced by hitmaker John “Mutt” Lange (AC/DC, Def Leppard), the album included two Top Ten singles — the ballad “Drive” and the charismatic “You Might Think” — plus an additional two that landed in the Top 20: the summer anthem “Magic” and the eccentric “Hello Again.” But it didn’t just stop there, plenty of other tracks could have been hits as well, such as the sparse rocker “It’s Not the Night” and the breezy pop of “Looking for Love.” Other highlights included the ethereal title track, the melodic rocker “Stranger Eyes,” and the moderately paced love song “Why Can’t I Have You.” Although the Cars experienced their greatest success yet with Heartbeat City, it would unfortunately not last for long — after just one more studio album (1987’s spotty Door to Door), the band split up.