Door to Door

Even Ric Ocasek's own production couldn't save Door to Door from being a rather lackluster album, failing to capture the type of magic that the Cars instilled on past releases. Their last Top 40 single, "You Are the Girl," peaked at number 17 in September of 1987, while efforts like "Strap Me In" and the album's most melodious tune, "Coming Up You," failed to crack the number 50 mark. Missing from the album is the usual Cars chemistry, made up of Ocasek's crisp vocals and Elliot Easton's animated, hook-infused guitar work. Instead, tracks like "Go Away" and "Double Trouble" yield to murky instrumentation and subpar rock formulas. Even with some companionable keyboard playing from Greg Hawkes, which rises above any of the album's guitar contributions, the music on Door to Door neglects the savvy pop jump that normally comes from the Cars' music. With humdrum rhythms and cloudy melodies replacing any hint of pop depth, the album itself peaked at number 26 in the U.S. and a dismal number 72 in the U.K. The reason for Ocasek's lack of vigor and loss of desire became apparent in February of the next year when the breakup of the Cars was publicly announced.