How's the Weather

For fans of the Cars this release pre-dates Rick & the Rabbits — the name that Modern Lover Jonathan Richman gave Richard Ocasek and Ben Orzechowski prior to their becoming Captain Swing, the band that evolved into the Cars. Recorded at Aengus Studios in Fayville, MA, where Andy Pratt created his classic "Avenging Annie," the trio includes Jas Goodkind on lead acoustic and electric guitars, supplemented by various friends. Track three is the only non-Ocasek original, written by the late Ben Orr, and "Lincoln Park" is an example of why Cars fans have called this Ocasek and Orr's Crosby, Stills & Nash phase. Greg Hawks was working with Martin Mull and his Fabulous Furniture, but he appears on this album playing baritone, soprano sax, and doing the horn arrangements. Jeff Lass plays the keyboards here, although Hawks would join the Cars and create a sound so admired that Paul McCartney would fly Greg to England to perform on his "Motor of Love" on the Flowers in the Dirt album. "Bring Me Back" is a wonderful early Ocasek essay, and this album shows the '80s pop ensemble in a delicate and charming light. Only "Timetrain Wonderwheel" hints at the direction Ocasek would eventually take. The vibe is like America's "Sandman," and this is as close to Panorama as you are going to find here. The experimental sounds and jams make it the strongest track on How's the Weather. Hawks' horns are nothing short of brilliant, and they play like his innovative keyboards that were so essential to the Cars' eventual success. The vocal phrasings on this song are significant, and "Timetrain Wonderwheel"'s importance as an artifact of a band prior to its greatness cannot be ignored. "Makeshift Pawn" opens side two and sounds like a low-key David Gates or England Dan/John Ford Coley. Hearing the material is astounding when one thinks of the sci-fi overtones of "Moving in Stereo." These guys had the chops and passion in "The Light Won't Burn" as well as "Winter Song," but there's no denying that there's little hint of the change in direction that would bring Ocasek, Orr, and Hawks to superstardom during the '80s. "Along the Way" truly sounds like Crosby, Stills, Ocasek & Orr.