Ironically, it didn’t sound right upon its original release. In its own way, Cold Spring Harbor was a minor gem of the sensitive singer/songwriter era Joel may have been in his formative stages as a craftsman, but his talents are apparent, and he never made an album as intimate and vulnerable ever again. The record was uneven but very charming, boasting two of his finest songs – the lovely “She’s Got a Way” and the bitterly cynical “Everybody Loves You Now” – and a score of flawed but nicely crafted songs that illustrated Joel’s gift for melody, as well as his pretensions (the mock-gospel in “Tomorrow Is Today,” a classical stab entitled “Nocturne”). He had shown signs of McCartney-esque songcraft on Hour of the Wolf, the last Hassles album, but his debut album, Cold Spring Harbor, is where these talents blossomed.
THE BALLAD OF BILLY THE KID BILLY JOEL MP3 DOWNLOAD DOWNLOAD
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Front coverĪ few short months after abandoning the heavy organ-and-drums duo Attila – partially because their sole record flopped, partially because he stole the drummer’s wife – Billy Joel reinvented himself as a sensitive singer/songwriter. His fusion of two distinct eras made him a superstar in the late ’70s and ’80s, as he racked an impressive string of multi-platinum albums and hit singles.īilly Joel – Cold Spring Harbor (1971/2014)įLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 30:24 minutes | 648 MB Joel’s music consistently demonstrates an affection for Beatlesque hooks and a flair for Tin Pan Alley and Broadway melodies. Studio Masters, Official Digital Download – Source: Q0buz| Front Cover | © Columbia – LegacyĪlthough Billy Joel never was a critic’s favorite, the pianist emerged as one of the most popular singer/songwriters of the latter half of the ’70s. Mastered by Rob LoVerde at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, Sebastopol, CA.Billy Joel – The Complete Albums Collection (2011/2014)įLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 11:14:08 minutes | 13,9 GB | Genre: Rock, Pop He may have weaknesses as a lyricist - such mishaps as the “instant pleasuredome” line in “You’re My Home” illustrate that he doesn’t have an ear for words - but Piano Man makes it clear that his skills as a melodicist can dazzle.Ġ8. Piano Man is where he suggests his potential as a musical craftsman. He may have borrowed his basic blueprint from Tumbleweed Connection, particularly with its Western imagery and bluesy gospel flourishes, but he makes it his own, largely due to his melodic flair, which is in greater evidence than on Cold Spring Harbor. If his narratives are occasionally awkward or incomplete, he compensates with music that gives the songs a sweeping sense of purpose - they feel complete, thanks to his indelible melodies and savvy stylistic repurposing. Even the title track, a breakthrough hit based on his weeks as a saloon singer, focuses on the colorful patrons, not the singer. Clearly inspired by Elton John’s Tumbleweed Connection, not only musically but lyrically, as well as James Taylor, Joel expands the vision and sound of Cold Spring Harbor, abandoning introspective numbers (apart from “You’re My Home,” a love letter to his wife) for character sketches and epics. Through a combination of touring and constant hustling, he landed a contract with Columbia and recorded his second album in 1973. He didn’t abandon his dreams - he continued to write songs, including “Piano Man,” a fictionalized account of his weeks as a lounge singer. Or FLAC(converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Scans included | 825 MBĮmbittered by legal disputes with his label and an endless tour to support a debut that was dead in the water, Billy Joel hunkered down in his adopted hometown of Los Angeles, spending six months as a lounge singer at a club.
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