BILLY JOEL

BILLY JOEL

STREETLIFE SERENADE (1974)
320 KBPS

"Streetlight Serenade" is a fine album by pop music standards, though it warrants four stars since it's not quite up to the standards established by Joel and producer Phil Ramone who oversaw the recording of most of Joel's hit albums in the 1970's and 1980's. "The Entertainer", the hit single from this album is an adroit satirical look at the music business. I also greatly enjoy listening to the title track, "Root Beer Rag", and "Los Angelenos", Joel's acerbic look at the denizens of L. A. (It sounds better on his "Songs From The Attic" album as an uptempo rocker.). Joel has written some of his most introspective lyrics on this album; it's certainly a revealing look at what he faced as a struggling pop musician in Los Angeles.

1. Los Angelenos
2. Great Suburban Showdown
3. Root Beer Rag
4. Roberta
5. Entertainer
6. Last Of The Big Time Spenders
7. Street Life Serenade
8. Weekend Song
9. Souvenir
10. Mexican Connection

TURNSTILES (1976)
320 KBPS

On this 1976 classic, Billy Joel tempers his anger a bit, adding dashes of hope and even sentimentality. In fact, he seems to address this fresh outlook on the scathing "Angry Young Man" and defiant "Say Goodbye to Hollywood." Still, his ballads here mark some of his finest work, from the Ray Charles-influenced "New York State of Mind" to the introspective "Summer, Highland Falls" to the celebratory "I've Loved These Days." Lyrically, "Miami 2017" owes as much to folk as it does to rock. These eight songs seem as if they're therapeutic for Joel: they display a new comfort and satisfaction as he digs deeper within himself to find lyrical themes.

1. Say Goodbye to Hollywood
2. Summer, Highland Falls
3. All You Wanna Do Is Dance
4. New York State of Mind
5. James
6. Prelude/Angry Young Man
7. I've Loved These Days
8. Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go out on Broadway)