Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology (CD) by The Cars

CD. While casual admirers of the Cars can stick with their 1985 Greatest Hits collection, more serious fans should go right to the more thorough two-CD set Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology. Whereas Greatest Hits stuck more or less with their singles, The Cars Anthology contains strong album cuts, non-album B-sides, demos, and unreleased takes, as well as all the expected hits (and a 27-page booklet crammed with rare photos and the band's bio). Just about every rock fan is long familiar with such tracks as "Just What I Needed," "Shake It Up," "Magic," and "Let's Go" (to name a few), but the collection's main attraction is its abundance of unfamiliar material. Such previously released album tracks as "Dangerous Type," "Gimme Some Slack," and "Cruiser" are highlights, as are the rarities "Cool Fool" (one of their hardest-rocking tracks ever), "That's It," a cover of Iggy Pop's "Funtime," and a pair of album-closing early demos ("Leave or Stay" and "Ta Ta Wayo Wayo"). At nearly two and a half hours long, Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology is the ultimate Cars collection, which only confirms their standing as one of the finest bands of the new wave era. ~ Greg Prato, Rovi

Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology (CD) by The Cars