''Panorama'' is the third studio album by American new wave band

the Cars The Cars were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the New wave music, new wave Subculture, scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek (rhythm guitar), Benjamin Orr (bass guitar), Elliot Easton (l ...

, released on August 15, 1980, by

Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the ...

. Like its predecessors, it was produced by

Roy Thomas Baker Roy Thomas Baker (10 November 1946 – 12 April 2025) was an English record producer, songwriter and arranger who produced rock and pop songs. Life and career Baker was born in Hampstead, London on 10 November 1946. He began his career at De ...

and released on

Background

The record marked a change from the upbeat

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...

and

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...

of the group's previous albums, representing a more aggressive and

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...

sound. ''

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'' said that while ''Panorama'' retained the Cars' minimalist approach from their debut album, it sounded sufficiently different to avoid having the group sound like a caricature of itself. ''Panorama'' peaked at number five on the ''Billboard'' 200 and has been certified platinum by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA). The album's lead single, " Touch and Go", reached number 37 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

Critical reception

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' critic Ken Tucker said that "''Panorama'' isn't merely a joyless joyride, it's an out-and-out drag."

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...

claimed that the album's problem is "boredom with formula" and said that "This is longer, slower and denser han previous Cars' albums with lyrics that skirt social commentary and music that essays textural pretension. ''

Spin Alternative Record Guide The ''Spin Alternative Record Guide'' is a music reference book compiled by the American music magazine ''Spin (magazine), Spin'' and published in 1995 by Vintage Books. It was editing, edited by the rock music, rock critic Eric Weisbard and Crai ...

'' deemed the album "a dry, monotonous

Wire file:Sample cross-section of high tension power (pylon) line.jpg, Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample d ...

imitation." Critic Keith Roysdon said that "The entire album is a plea from a man's point of view for love and/or sex from a woman. The fact that 'he', the narrator, is getting neither accounts for the depressing tone of the LP." Roysdon also found the album repetitious, saying that "Songwriter

Ric Ocasek Richard Theodore Otcasek (March 23, 1944 – September 15, 2019), known as Ric Ocasek ( ), was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was the primary vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the America ...

has written some fairly good numbers, but they sound alike, with just a few exceptions." ''Daily Herald-Tribune'' critic Ethlie Ann Vare said that it lacked the "hard rocking edge" from the Cars' first two albums and that it "slops over into muddy techno-pop." ''Quad-City Times'' critic Greg Kot said that the album "overdoses on Ric Ocasek's too chic, too nebulous lyrics and

's intrusive production" and that "Ocasek and the band build tension but the climaxes never arrive" resulting in an album that "fails as rock 'n' roll." ''Pittsburgh Press'' critic Pete Bishop felt it had "an undue amount of menace and too little melody and snap in the music." ''Saginaw News'' critic Nancy Kuharevicz called it a "stark, almost anti-musical album" and said that "When Ocasek isn't moaning like a whiny, jilted adolescent, he's repetitiously droning pat phrases which range from trite to abtruse." Critic Stuart Margulies called it "shockingly boring, unmelodic and senseless." ''Boston Globe'' critic Steve Morse called it "a tour de force of high-tech strategy" that "ushers in a potpourri of new sound textures." ''The State Journal'' critic Archer Prewitt said that "every song is good" and that "No one song is similar to another and each has an irrestible characteristic that leave you humming." ''Los Angeles Times'' critic Steve Pond criticized the album's lack of

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s compared to previous Cars' albums but felt that the new approach also yielded some benefits, concluding that "lapses notwithstanding, it's still one of the best rides in town."

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Panorama''.

The Cars

David Robinson David Maurice Robinson (born August 6, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1989 to 2003, and minority owner of the Spurs. Nicknamed ...

– drums, backing vocals *

Greg Hawkes Gregory A. Hawkes (born October 22, 1952) is an American musician who is best known as the keyboardist and founding member of the American new wave band the Cars. Hawkes is credited with helping popularize new wave and synth-pop in American popu ...

– keyboards, saxophones, backing vocals *

Benjamin Orr Benjamin Orr (, September 8, 1947 – October 3, 2000) was an American musician. He was best known as the bassist, co-lead vocalist, and co-founder of the band the Cars. He sang lead vocals on several of their hits, including "Just What I Nee ...

– vocals, bass guitar *

– vocals, rhythm guitar *

Elliot Easton Elliot Easton (born Steinberg, December 18, 1953) is an American musician who is best known as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the American new wave band the Cars. His melodic guitar solos are an integral part of the band's music. ...

– lead guitar, backing vocals

Technical

– production * Ian Taylor – engineering * John Weaver – engineering assistance * Jason Corsaro – engineering assistance * Thom Moore – production assistance

Artwork

* David Robinson – cover design * Paul McAlpine – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Panorama (The Cars Album) The Cars albums 1980 albums Elektra Records albums Albums produced by Roy Thomas Baker Albums recorded at Power Station