The Cars Debut vs Cheap Trick's In Color

[BikerDude]

I liked both but I'd give the edge by a hair to the Cars.
And to be technical In Color wasn't Cheap Tricks first album.
They had one before that just called Cheap Trick.
And for me Cheap Trick really hit their stride with Heaven Tonight.
In color was great and had some great songs but Heaven Tonight pushed them over the top.
The Cars were huge out of the gate and then faded over the course of the next 2 albums and headed for being Bubblegum IMO.

 

[Speed King]

Cheap Trick are from my home town,....I voted for The Cars

 

[Buckeye Randy]

I voted Cheap Trick.

These albums were released only nine months apart but the music world was moving pretty fast then. Cheap Trick's second album 'In Color' was released September 1, 1977 and critics weren't sure if they were more like The Ramones or The Raspberries. To point, Cheap Trick's first time in Cleveland was on a bill with The Dead Boys and The Dictators.

The Cars debut (released June 6, 1978) was the first 'new wave' rock record of any significance in my opinion. There's no doubt that from a high level view, The Cars is more important but I'll always have a soft spot for 'In Color'.

I bought the album within a week of it hitting the record store because I loved the debut. I saw the band live a couple weeks later opening for Be Bop Deluxe at a 2000 seater. I even made it side stage for some fuzzy photos from my Kodak Instamatic 44.

The two bands are forever linked for me because I saw both live on the same bill in '79. Todd Rundgren, The Cars, Cheap Trick, Eddie Money...woohoo!

 

[dr wu]

Picked the Cars .....but tbh I dont currently own either one.
I think the Cars lp was unique in some ways as far as a pop rock band.

 

[BeatleMatt]

I also am a big fan of Cheap Trick. While The Cars debut was just what we needed, the question asked is which I prefer.
The Cars were good. A bit different and certainly had a few enjoyable albums, I really love the bulk of Cheap Trick’s library.