Nothing in the music of Kris Delmhorst immediately suggests a deep affinity with proto-punk new-wave masters the Cars, and yet a dozen years into a career at the nexus of folk, indie-pop, and Americana, Delmhorst has taken a brief vacation from her own literate songwriting to bring us Cars, a collection of songs by the band that defined an era.
Balancing classic hits and deep cuts, Delmhorst has painstakingly deconstructed every hook-laden arrangement, every unforgettable line, creating a sonic palette inventively recast: Ric Ocasek's herky-jerky bravado is replaced by the amber warmth of Delmhorst's luminescent voice; the processed, synth-heavy aesthetic of the originals is reinvented with an array of organic instruments including fiddle, accordion, upright bass, suitcase drum kit, mandolin, clarinet, penny whistle, and harmonica.
Cars offers recreation in both senses: a joyful lark partnered with serious interpretation, the uncomplicated love of youthful fandom paired with a deep attention to and respect for craft. Kris Delmhorst offers up an exuberant and moving dream of the summer of 1984 painted in new colors; roll down the window and turn it up.