Billy Joel - The Stranger

This, pop superstar Joel's breakout LP, came years after he first hit the charts with the novelty-ish "Piano Man." In the meantime, the New York-based songwriter released two lackluster and stylistically confused platters that blunted interesting songs with a sound that was neither Elton mellow nor Elton attitude. Produced by Phil Ramone, The Stranger took those who had written Joel off as a one-hit wonder by surprise ("Just the Way You Are" was among the biggest hits of 1977) and it remains a solid introduction to Joel's restless muse at a crucial point in his career. It invited a few comparisons to Bruce Springsteen, with its prominent sax breaks, hard-edged rebel-rockers ("Only the Good Die Young"), and slice-of-life dramatics ("Scenes From an Italian Restaurant"), recounting life in a lower middle-class (Eastern Urban) setting; but Joel's chameleonic, formalist approach to pop wasn't to be so easily pigeonholed (Glass Houses, The Nylon Curtain, An Innocent Man...). --Don Harrison Amazon.com essential recording

The album that introduced Billy Joel

The is the album (or I should say CD) that defined Billy Joel as a pop music force. It is truly some of his best work. While he was already recognized by "Piano Man" and a few other songs that got FM airplay, he had not produced any big selling albums before this one came out in 1977.

The songs "Movin Out" and "Just the Way you Are", along with "She's Always a Woman" and "Only the Good Die Young" were, and still are, hugely popular.

If you haven't heard the whole album, you have to give a listen to "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and "The Stranger".

I listened to this for the first time in years, and was reminded what a talented and prolific songwriter Billy Joel is. October 17, 2008

Used goods sold as new

I bought this product and the last track was scratched. Strange for a new CD right. I am still awaiting a refund. September 15, 2008

5 Star Music + Great Sound, Besides!

I won't write a lengthy, positive review. On that score, I'll just say that this is one of those rare albums/tapes/CDs whare ALL the songs got heavy radio play (U2's "Joshua Tree" is another).

My point in writing is that, having had this on CD since at least the early '90s, I finally (10 years later!) got this 1998 24-bit remastered version from amazon.com. It has *so* much more life, detail and space to it than the original CD version. I don't (yet) have an SACD player, so I can't comment on that critically acclaimed version; and the jury seems to be out on this year's remaster. This, though, I can highly recommend.

Btw, this isn't an exercise in nostalgia ... this is timeless music. August 14, 2008

The Album that turned the Piano Man's keys of ivory into rightfully Platinum and a long legendary career 30 years on

New York native Billy Joel released his fifth album The Stranger in November of 1977.
Prior to The Stranger, Billy was almost seen as a pop one-hit wonder thanks to the title track from his 1973 album Piano Man (despite the fact FM rock stations played "Captain Jack" and "New York State of Mind"). However, pop radio ignored him. It was in the summer of 1977 that Billy and producer Phil Ramone (famed for work with The Carpenters and Paul Simon) went into A&R Recording Studios in New York to record Billy's fourth album for Columbia, which (had it not sold) might have been his last time at bat. Is the album the classic it is or some artifact from a bygone time, read on and find out.
We start the album with a great rocker out of "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" which is driven by piano and guitar. Next is The Stranger's title cut which its intro and outro (also repeated at album's end) sounds like it could have been recorded for a Bogart film before giving way into another great rocker. Next we slow things down with the album's famous ballad "Just The Way You Are" (which won the 1978 Record of the Year Grammy) and was Billy's biggest hit up until that point. He almost left it off the album had it not been for female singers Phoebe Snow (who appears on the album's last track) and Linda Ronstadt persuaded Billy to release it and the rest is history. The first half ends with the epic centerpiece of the album is "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" which is almost like listening to one of the medleys on The Beatles' Abbey Road as it's three songs stitched into one and one of the sections told the tale of the rise and fall of Brenda & Eddie.
"Vienna" starts the second half of the album off and was one of the lesser known songs on the album but a great number. Next is the acoustic guitar and piano driven rocker "Only the Good Die Young" which is still a great number though some religious groups cried foul and some stations banned the record. Next is another classic ballad out of "She's Always A Woman" which is a nice ballad. We then have another rocker out of "Get it Right the First Time" which is a great piece. We end with the gospel sounding ballad "Everybody Has a Dream" which is a nice track and the album ends with the reprise of The Stranger's title cut's intro and outro this time with an orchestra.
The Stranger paid off as it hit #2 on the Billboard album chart upon release and became Billy's first Platinum selling album and righfully sold to date 10 million copies in the US alone.
In 1998, The Stranger was re-released in a remastered version which soundeed better than the 1980s sterile CBS release and includes all original LP art.
Recommended! August 14, 2008

No Stranger? Get It

Billy Joel is kind of my guilty pleasure - He's one of the most revered musicians or at least very popular of today yet I never quite got him. Until more recently when I decided there was a time I really liked some of his tunes, the years of 77-84 really spring to mind. I had a few of his cassettes when I was little and I always liked the late 70s, early 80s Billy songs and this is the album where I remember paying attention to him.

This is the first remastered version was released a few years ago and it was only $8 so I bought it in a heartbeat and I really like it. The long and scene stealing "Scenes From An Italian Restaraunt" and the cool title track make it more than just pop music, there's elements of grandeur here but not over the top. Plus it has hit after hit - "Only The Good Die Young", "Movin' Out", "She's Always A Woman" and "Just The Way You Are" and most importantly, my pal Amy idolizes Billy and since I idolize my petite pal with large bosoms, I too love Billy Joel.

June 25, 2008

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