BARNEY'S ALBUM OF THE MONTH
Just for fun I decided to include an 'Album Of The Month', provided I get the chance to update my website on a monthly basis. This album may be a new release or one I've had in my collection or listened to many years ago. The albums will definitely be Classic Rock having mostly been released between 1955 and 1995 and are a personal choice only. Unfortunately I presently don't have the means to be able to provide audio samples in MP3 format for downloading.

These reviews are mostly taken from other informative websites and where possible, these sites will be given due credit.  I will always provide a link to those sites.

JANUARY 2012

This is the third studio album by The Cars, released in 1980 and a change from their  normal upbeat rock of the previous two albums, trying a new aggressive and experimental sound. This album wasn't as popular chart-wise as its predecessors but it has always been my personal favourite. Contains not only a great single, 'Touch And Go', but also many more excellent tracks, especially those sung by the late Benjamin Orr. I remember many evenings in 1980 when this album was constantly played on my stereo or on a cassette version in my car. This CD copy replaces my old LP version which was culled from the collection when I moved from the South Coast to Canberra.

Barney's Stand-Out Track: "Running To You"

Track listing

All songs written by Ric Ocasek

Side one

   1. "Panorama" ? 5:42
   2. "Touch and Go" ? 4:55
   3. "Gimme Some Slack" ? 3:32
   4. "Don't Tell Me No" ? 4:00
   5. "Getting Through" ? 2:35

Side two

   6. "Misfit Kid" ? 4:30
   7. "Down Boys" ? 3:09
   8. "You Wear Those Eyes" ? 4:55
   9. "Running to You" ? 3:22
  10. "Up and Down" ? 3:31

Personnel

    * Ric Ocasek ? rhythm guitar, lead vocals on 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10
    * Elliot Easton ? lead guitar, backing vocals
    * Greg Hawkes ? keyboards, backing vocals
    * Benjamin Orr ? bass, lead vocals on 4, 7, 9
    * David Robinson ? drums, percussion
 

Review from sfloman.com
Panorama (Elektra '80) Rating: B

The Cars changed the formula this time out, and though the results were less than what came before it, the attempt was admirable and I've grown to appreciate the album the more I've gotten to know it. You see, although this critically maligned album is known as the bands pretentious art rock record, it really isn't as inaccessible as it's often made out to be. Granted, the album is more about mood and texture, and is a cold, brooding affair whereas the first two albums were hook-filled and upbeat. Unsurprisingly, only one hit originated from this album, and "Touch and Go" was a minor one at that and isn't among their top-tier singles. Like most of the songs here, it is still good, though (I'm partial towards Easton's guitar soloing in particular), and easily graspable vocal hooks are also present on the last two tracks, "Running To You" and "Up and Down," both among the album's better efforts. That said, I also quite like the title track, one of several groove-based songs on which Ben Orr's bass (as opposed to his vocals) is more prominent than previously. Sure, this track is overly repetitive, robotic, chilly, and obtuse, but it's not uncreative, and I also like "Gimme Some Slack," a groovy dance rocker heavy on the synth-y embellishments, "Misfit Kid," another one of the album's more melodic songs, and "You Wear Those Eyes," a moody ballad with a strong vocal from Orr. Granted, none of these songs are great, and the tunes I haven't mentioned are pretty skippable, but on the whole Panorama is an admirably experimental and atmospheric affair that will likely win over most committed Cars fans. That said, this album certainly isn't the place to start with The Cars, since these songs simply aren't as memorable as those housed on the band's first two albums.

This review is from: Amazon.com
Panorama worth many listens
By A Customer

Panorama is indeed an under rated album. Some 20+ years after its release, it still sounds as forward and inventive as the day it was released. Having been in my early teens when this album was released, my first exposure to The Cars was with a series of Candy-O songs I'd heard on the radio. I was instantly hooked on the Candy-O title track. Then came Panorama and CITI FM played Gimme Some Slack, Touch and Go and Up and Down. All 3 of these songs really resonated with me then as they do today. Songs like You Wear Those Eyes, Panorama, Getting Through, etc. seem similar in that they all fall within the supposed "Dark" mood of the album, and yet they cover the spectrum of emotions, including quite humourous lyrics.

It seems that some like to criticize Ric Ocasek for much of his mainstream work although he can hardly be blamed for wanting to actually make a living selling music; one would really need to listen to the man's full body of work, including his solo work and rethink the mainstream label. Still, few musical composers could claim to have a musical style so unique that it is almost instantly recognizable, within a few notes, as sounding like nobody else. The fact that most songs on their other releases are catchy and likeable should be no source of shame...it's not like it sounds great because it's a repackage of someone else's material as is a common practice in the current mainstream scene. Ric Ocasek has performed in many musical genres, including his first major label release with an early 70's folk bank called Milkwood. A complete listen to the Cars library should greatly impress new listeners with the large collection of great songs, and Panorama proves the Cars to be a band that was willing to break out of the mainstream at the risk of losing the mainstream ear. For one album they almost joined the likes of Wall of Voodoo's Dark Continent album which is as clever as it is "unaccessable".

Let's not forget the music scene that bands like the Cars rescued us from in the late 70's. Thank you Cars for 23 years of great listening with Panorama.


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