The cars
Candy-O (Rhino High Fidelity)
rhinoceros
01 April 2024
Web Exclusive
When one thinks of bands that should have their catalogs reissued in hi-fi, 80s builders The Cars might not be at the top of the list. However, as Rhino's reissue progress through the band's catalog attests, that would be a dramatic oversight.
Candy-O is the band's second album, released in 1979, a year after its incendiary self-titled debut with its many hits (“Good Times Roll”, “Just What I Needed” and “You're All I Got Tonight” to name just three) . Although not boasting the same healthy number of hits, Candy-O found the band continuing to do what they do best and expanding their territory with a variety of songs that didn't quite make it to the big time, like the buzzy, robotic “Night Spots” and the skittish title track. The hits are still there, with “Let's Go” and “It's All I Can Do” gracing the charts and “Dangerous Type” confirming itself as a modern classic after the fact. But unlike the band's debut, Candy-O he wasn't defined by his pop hits. On the contrary, it turned out for everything else.
The special thing about this reissue is the sound. The level of detail you can hear in the tunes, the separation in the speakers and the overall clarity here is nothing short of amazing. The drums on “Let's Go” sound like they're in the room with you, clapping right in your ear. The guitars on “Since I Held You” go wild. And keyboards explode everywhere. Every track is a sonic delight. You've probably never listened to The Cars carefully, but with this reissue you'll keep cranking up the volume for all the details you probably missed the first time around.
Add the heavy gatefold jacket and an interview with producer Roy Thomas Baker, and what you have is nothing less than the essential pressing of this classic album. (www.rhino.com)
Author Rating: 9/10
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