Many who remember The Cars, know them as the kings of American New Wave rock in the late 1970's to late 80's. (Or at least they should remember them as that!) Though more straightforward rock 'n' roll than their other American New Wave counterparts (i.e. Talking Heads, B-52's), the Cars were from their inception, hard to define. Their 1978 debut baffled critics of the time, with reviews labeling the album anything from "punk" to "art rock" to straight up rock 'n' roll (now considered "classic rock"). And there are elements of all three present in their music! Their early use of synthesizers, and front-man Ric Ocasek's strange, and at times warbling, voice combined with extremely catchy lyrics and traditional guitar-driven rock made the Cars a powerful force in the New Wave of popular music permeating the culture of their time. But, immensely talented as he was, Ocasek is not the one whose lead vocals can be heard on the Cars' most well-known hits, along with many other classic Cars tracks.
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| The Cars in 1980. From left to right: Benjamin Orr, Greg Hawkes, Ric Ocasek, David Robinson, and Elliot Easton. |
Benjamin Orr, the Cars' bassist, sings lead on both "Just What I Needed" and "Drive"- The Cars' two biggest hits of their career, as well as many others (including half of the tracks on their self-titled debut). Unfortunately, he is not oft as remembered as Ocasek for his critical role in the Cars. Forgotten even more still, is his lone solo record, The Lace. Released in 1986, after the Cars split for the sole purpose of working on solo projects, The Lace is a much more synth-pop driven record than anything Orr recorded previously with the Cars. It is more in line with the sound and overall vibe of artists like John Waite or Corey Hart, with romantic, sensual lyrical themes and echoing, lush synths surrounding it.
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| Benjamin Orr, 1986 |
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| Benjamin Orr, 1979 |
While Ocasek is more easily recognizable than Orr (perhaps for his 6'4" skinny, lanky physique and hollow face), Benjamin was definitely the dreamboat of the Cars. He (probably unintentionally) capitalizes on this throughout The Lace, winning over the heart of any vulnerable young listener (or uh, at least me...) with his gorgeous voice and face. This is especially true on the singular minor hit of the record, "Stay The Night", where Orr pleads with the listener / object of his desire not to go, and to "stay the night" with him- a classic theme of most 80's pop / rock music. You can listen to it below, at the end of this post.
But there is more to The Lace than just sensual ballads! The album's opener "Too Hot To Stop" is a pulsing new wave rocker that will definitely make you want to drive well over the speed limit, in your 1986 Pontiac Firebird (or equivalent 80's dream ride) with the windows down and tunes blasting. Or there's the synthy, dreamy "Skyline" where Orr's harmonies with himself are at their peak. It evokes feelings of wandering through a brightly lit city in the middle of the night, probably drunk, and lost but at peace with it, taking comfort in the fact that this happens to everyone.
Overall, The Lace is a rocker meets synth-pop fan's dream album. It has sat in the dark for too long, overlooked by most except die-hard Cars / Orr fans, when it deserves praise and airtime as much as any other well-known New Wave record. It has all the aesthetics that make an 80's male solo-artist seem mysterious and edgy yet dreamy (i.e. dim blue lighting, shadow of blinds over the face, etc.). And while it is a slight departure from the Cars usual sound before it (although on Door To Door in 1987 they would channel more of this energy), it still has that familiarity to it with Orr's signature vocals, that make it an easy first listen-through for any Cars lover. I invite any fans of the Cars who had not previously heard of The Lace to give it a listen! As well as any other new wave, synth-pop, or even classic rock fans who want a taste of something new. You can find the full album on Spotify, and you can watch a poor quality version of the music video for "Stay The Night" via YouTube, below!
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