Billy Joel - Glass Houses

Billy Joel has always wanted to be a rocker. That he made his name on piano ballads and was relegated to soft rock radio even disturbs him, if recent interviews are to be believed. For 1980's Glass Houses, Joel opted to take on the new wave with his usual arsenal of classic rock poses. With his knack for melody in place, he connected immediately with a string of hits he never surpassed. "You May Be Right," "Sometimes a Fantasy," "It's Still Rock n' Roll to Me" and "Sleeping with the Television On" are as powerful and succinct as Joel gets. --Rob O'Connor Amazon.com

A Rip Roaring Change Of Pace.

After the back to back smashes that were 1977's "The Stranger" and 1978's "52nd Street," Billy was quick to adapt to the changing sounds of the time. With his brand of piano pop taking a back to seat to punk and the up and coming New Wave movement, Billy got to work on a new batch of numbers that eventually became 1980's "Glass Houses."

"Glass Houses," as mentioned, marks a departure for Billy. New sounds and instrumentations are present on this record, and Billy's trademark acoustic piano often gives way to heavier keyboard use as well as chunkier guitar riffs and more prominent drums.

The album begins, appropriately, with a brief snippet of glass shattering, before the opening riff of the hectic rocker "You May Be Right" gets the ball rolling. A fast paced, fun, gritty rocker with a snarling Billy vocal, this song remains an instant Billy classic, one of his all time best songs and an immense crowd pleaser that explodes with energy.

The second track is another hard hitting rocker, the in your face rocker "Sometimes A Fantasy." Underscored by Joel's heavy breathing and theremin screech on the instrumental break simulating climax, it is quite simply the finest rock and roll song ever written about phone sex. A true classic and a great song.

Next up is the "Don't Ask Me Why," by far the mellowest track on the album and the one closest in sound to his previous efforts. Sung with a sly, easygoing style with a lilting samba providing background, this charming piece is another concert perennial and one that will have you toe tapping in no time.

Next comes the album's most recognizable track and Billy's first number one single. "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" bops along to a chugging New Wave meets "Midnight Rambler" beat as Billy laments people's attitudes towards changing times and how they update to remain hip. It's a true feel good number, a concert favorite and one of his all time best songs.

The next track is probably my favorite song on the album. "All For Leyna" is a dark ballad about obsession, highlighted by a stuttering keyboard riff and a snarling, angry Billy vocal as he recalls the woman who gave him the most memorable night of his life and now hopes for her return endlessly, even as he slowly destroys himself in the process. A dark, thrilling rocker that sadly goes under the radar.

The mood shifts gears with the midtempo ballad "I Don't Want To Be Alone," which features a nice chorus but is fairly disposable.

Next comes another all time favorite, the in your face rocker "Sleeping With The Television On." A frenetic punk / New Wave combo, it's a pure rock rave-up and one of my all tiem favorite Billy songs. I had the pleasure of seeing him perform it at Madison Square Garden 2 years ago, and it was magnificent.

Next comes the album's sole mishap, as "C'Etait Toi (You Were The One)" meanders with Billy singing bad French. Had the song stuck to Engliah and maybe been cut down, it would've worked a bit better.

"Close To The Borderline" is a nervous rocker personifying early 1980s' yuppy life. A bit out of date, but it's a nice listen.

The brief, delicate ballad "Through The Long Night" brings the album to a close, and it's a beautiful love song.

This album is Billy at his absolute best, and is a must have for all fans. August 17, 2008

Billy Joel's first 80s album is still a rocker beginning to end nearly 30 years on

Billy Joel's seventh album Glass Houses was released in March of 1980.
By 1980, Billy Joel's career was in full swing as he had two classic blockbuster selling albums back to back (1977's breakthrough The Stranger and 1978's chart topper 52nd Street). By 1979, music was changing as disco was dying, new wave and arena rock were in a battle for rock supremacy. Billy decided to change musical gears for his seventh album and with longstanding producer Phil Ramone delivered what is seen as Billy's first full rock album.
The album literally begins with a smash hit for Billy called "You May be Right". This rocker has some great guitars (especially new guitarist David Brown's killer guitar solo and now rhythm guitarist Russell Javors could concentrate on rhythm while David could play) and percussion by the faithful drummer Liberty DeVitto and Billy had not ever sounded better! Billy sings about the fun he has partying and how he has found a woman he wants to make his lover. Next is another rocker "Sometimes A Fantasy" which has the protagonist dreaming late at night for his woman and this rocker just burns. Next is a semi-ballad called "Don't Ask Me Why" which has a nice Latin beat and great acoustic guitar and piano work. Next is Billy Joel's first #1 hit the rocking "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" which sees superficial people who mindlessly follow fashion and music trends just to look good and a great sax solo from Richie Cannata. The first half of the album ends with the mid-tempo rocker "All For Leyna" which is about a man who can't get Leyna, a woman he met, out of his mind. The inspiration of this track came from The Police's "Roxanne" and Billy wanted to pay homage to his new favorite band at the time with a song about a girl with a unique name.
"I Don't Want To Be Alone" kicks off the album's second half and is another great number which has tempo changes left and right and inspired by some of the New Wave bands of the time. Next is another rocker "Sleeping With the Television On" which reminds me of The Police's early work but a great number. Next is a ballad called "C'Etait Toi (You Were The One)" which features Billy remembering his one true love who left him. He had the guts to sing half of the track in French with great results (inspired by The Beatles track "Michelle" believe it or not). It's a shame that many hate this song (including some of his French fans for some reason) but I love it. Next is another great rocker "Close to the Borderline" which showed Billy Joel wasn't just ballads and jazz but could rock out. We end the album with the ballad "Through The Long Night" which was inspired by The Beatles' ballad "Yes It Is".
Glass Houses continued rightfully Joel's winning streak as it became his second US #1 album where it reigned for a month and a half that year and has sold to date seven million copies in the US alone.
In 1998, the album was re-released as a remastered CD and trumps the original 1980s CD issue by a longshot.
Recommended! August 14, 2008

classic Billy Joel, fantastic album

I couldn't disagree more with the reviewer who kept describing songs from this album as "vintage fake-(insert another famous singer's name here)" because Billy Joel is unique. He's not trying to be somebody else, he's an amazing talent with his own varied original material.

Ok....that being said, I grew up listening to Billy Joel and love his music. I have his greatest hits volumes I, II and III. However, when you love a particular album and you know the next song that comes after it before it starts, sometimes you just have to have it--so I have also purchased Piano Man, 52nd Street, and now Glass Houses. There isn't a song on this album that I don't like or like less than the rest. There is a variety of songs here and of course amazing piano from the Piano Man.

This is one of my favorite Billy Joel albums, and I would highly recommend it. July 21, 2008

Break Out of the Glass House

Billy Joel broke out of his smooth 'Piano Man' type with this album, and while it cannot compare to the brilliant 'Stranger,' he shows that he actually cares about those rock licks he talks about in his songs. 'All for Leyna' is the first track that makes you sit up and take notice, wondering who the heck THIS Joel might be, and the incredible 'Sleeping with the Television On' makes you think that you don't give a damn who Joel thinks he is, as long as he stays right here and keeps on singing.

Despite dated lyrics, the hits off this album retain a lot of the qualities that made them so popular in the first place. 'You May Be Right' and 'Don't Ask Me Why" are easily the two most confused titles on the album, and although you may find yourself humming the wrong tune and lyrics, you still remember these two fondly. 'It's Still Rock and Roll to me' is probably Joel's most widely played song, God help me, and I believe that the radio play for this song even exceeds 'Piano Man' and 'Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,' both of which are miles ahead of 'Rock and Roll' in quality and are what made us listen to Joel in the first place. I believe the reason for this phenomenon is two pronged: Christie Brinkley, whom Joel married at about the time this album came out, and the explosion of MTV, which put the cartoon like video to 'It's Still Rock and Roll to me' on heavy rotation for what seemed like years. There's no way that almost thirty years have passed since this was released -- it still has a lot of freshness before the 'Use By' date

If your graduation was sometime in the early eighties and you want to relive a summer down at the shore, listening to the tunes on your newly discovered FM stereo (AM having spluttered out, music-wise, less than five years before this was cut), Have a listen to Glass Houses. From the shatter of glass as the album begins to the last strains of the National Anthem, you'll know how Joel got to be so damn commercial and laugh because it's all good anyway. Definitely one for the permanent collection, but if the kids are looking, hide it behind 'Dark Side of the Moon'. July 20, 2008

New Wave Man

For some reason 1980 saw the onslaught of pop royalty releasing the new wave punky album - Linda Ronstadt had Mad Love, Carly Simon did Come Upstairs and Billy, longing to shed the critic's image of him as a balladeer made Glass Houses - a romping rock album with elements of new wave and punk - of course the new wave and punk just like in the case of Linda and Carly is glossed over by the professional production and the fact that the anger of the genre isn't necessarily convincing in this element.

However, that doesn't mean the albums aren't good, and of the three this is by far my favorite. As a kid I had this cassette and because side one was so frickin' fun I would just rewind and play it over and so I never heard the last five songs until I got this CD yesterday. First let me tell you, those first five songs are completely infectious which to me is the essence of new wave rock - opening with glass smashing (of course) "You May Be Right" begins with its chunky guitar and a Billy Joel growl as he angrily plows through to the next - my favorite - "Sometimes A Fantasy" ('oh, oh, oh'), then a Beatle ish/Spector ish "Don't Ask Me Why" which is so sing alongy I usually end up playing it twice, before the hit single - new waveish Billy on "It's Still Rock & Roll To Me" and then a rocker of bitterness "All For Leyla." Then I was finally able to move to the next set and though not completely forgettable, they aren't quite as great as those first five - though I really like "I Don't Want To Be Alone" & "Sleeping With The Television On" and though I hate to say it, had some real new wave band done the songs they could've been brilliant and fun - I think, like other critics have said - Billy just wasn't all that convincing in his this new bitter world of his.

But they are infectious songs and of the three Billy albums I got (The Stranger, 52nd Street, Glass Houses), this is by far my favorite.
June 25, 2008

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