When it came to their fifth album, THE CARS were seasoned hitmakers, but the band must have felt stagnant in terms of creative approach. Cue changes – slight softening of sound and the invitation sent to Mutt Lange, whose pop expertise would supplant Roy Thomas Baker’s perspective applied to the ensemble’s previous platters – which made “Heartbeat City” a firm favorite with worldwide audience. While their first four longplays came in on a yearly basis, this one appeared three years after “Shake It Up” that spawned a few memorable songs, yet those would pale in comparison to “Drive” – and there’s no better reason for choosing the group’s offering from 1984 as inaugural work for deluxe treatment of their catalogue.
Heartbeat City
To be released on October 31st, the “Heartbeat City” box set includes a lot of previously unheard material, both studio and in-concert, with demos, remixes and other alternative versions fleshing out the original ten cuts – remastered for the album’s 2019 reissue. What makes the package less appealing, and more expensive, is the inclusion, alongside four CDs, a vinyl variant of the classic record, so fans will have to buy it in order to savor the rest.
CD 1 – Original Album:
1. Hello Again
2. Looking For Love
3. Magic
4. Drive
5. Stranger Eyes
6. You Might Think
7. It’s Not The Night
8. Why Can’t I Have You
9. I Refuse
10. Heartbeat City
CD 2 – B-Sides & Remixes / Early Versions & Demos / Alternate Versions:
1. Breakaway
2. Hello Again (remix)
3. Hello Again (dub version)
4. Drive (demo)
5. Stranger Eyes (early version)
6. It’s Not The Night (early version)
7. One More Time (early version Of “Why Can’t I Have You”)
8. Baby I Refuse (early version Of “I Refuse”)
9. Jacki (early version Of “Heartbeat City”)
10. Shooting For You (first version)
11. Shooting For You (re-recorded version)
12. Shooting For You (re-recorded version, alternate mix)
Heartbeat City:
Deluxe Edition
CD 3 – Early Mixes:
1. Hello Again
2. Looking For Love
3. Magic
4. Drive
5. Stranger Eyes
6. You Might Think
7. It’s Not The Night
8. I Refuse
9. Heartbeat City
10. Breakaway
11. Shooting For You (first version)
12. Shooting For You (re-recorded version)
CD 4 – Live At The Summit, Houston, TX – September 11th, 1984:
1. Hello Again
2. It’s Not The Night
3. Touch And Go
4. Candy-O
5. Good Times Roll
6. Jimmy Jimmy
7. Moving In Stereo
8. Just What I Needed
9. A Dream Away
10. Cruiser
11. Drive
12. You Might Think
13. My Best Friend’s Girl
14. Magic
15. Let’s Go
16. Heartbeat City
17. You’re All I’ve Got Tonight
LP – Original Album:
1-10 – as on CD 1
