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He's known to many as an inoffensive pop balladeer, but at the arguable peak of his career in the late '70s, Billy Joel released his darkest, most emotionally charged album. THE STRANGER abandons the grandstanding and broad melodic sweep of Joel's earlier records for a more intimate, introspective sound, effectively communicating Joel's ruminations on the perils of life and love. "Movin' Out" is something of an existentialist anthem, chronicling the way people's dreams are often irreparably crushed. The ominous-sounding title tune examines the many guises with which lovers disguise themselves in their attempts to entrap and deceive each other. "Only the Good Die Young" is hedonism at it's most iconoclastic. Even "She's Always a Woman," ostensibly a romantic piano ballad, is full of thorny, less-than-complimentary observations about its subject. Joel's emotional honesty would never be this clear-eyed and unabashed again.
Recorded at A&R Recording, New York, New York.
Composer: Billy Joel.
Personnel: Billy Joel (vocals, harmonica, piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Gwen Guthrie, Lani Groves, Patti Austin, Phoebe Snow (vocals, background vocals); Steve Khan (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar); Steve Burgh (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Hugh McCracken (guitar, acoustic guitar); Hiram Bullock (guitar, electric guitar); Dave Brown (guitar); Hugh MacDonald (acoustic guitar); Richie Cannata (fiddle, flute, clarinet, saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, organ, keyboards, wind); Dominic Cortese (accordion); Phil Woods (saxophone, alto saxophone); Richard Tee (organ); Liberty DeVitto (drums, percussion); Ralph MacDonald (percussion).
Audio Remasterer: Ted Jensen.
Recording information: A&R Studios, New York, NY.
Photographer: Jim Houghton.
Personnel: Billy Joel (vocals, harmonica, piano, organ, keyboards); Hiram Bullock, Steve Burgh, Steve Khan, Hugh McCracken, David Brown (guitar); Richie Cannatta (fiddle, flute, soprano & tenor saxophones, organ, keyboards); Phil Woods (alto saxophone); Richard Tee (organ); Doug Stegmeyer (bass); Liberty DeVito (drums, percussion); Ralph MacDonald (percussion); Phoebe Snow, Lani Groves, Patti Austin (background vocals).
Re-Issue
Rolling Stone (p.96) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]here's impressive variety here: contemplative ballads...and impressionistic epics....Joel's melodic genius invites comparisons to Paul McCartney..." Rolling Stone (12/11/03, p.113) - Ranked #67 in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" - "...The real pleasure here is the specificity of the lyrics in the rock songs located in New York..." Q (Magazine) (p.118) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "After four albums yielded only minor-league status, Billy JOel penned the most durable songs of his career....He was at the top of his game here." Blender (Magazine) (p.93) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "A record where saxophones trump guitars and the piano is nearly the cradle of civilization, THE STRANGER cut against any number of grains in the era just after disco and punk had broken out..."
Great Album Not a bad song on the disc
Absolutely fabulous
Listen to this album on your drive to work and you will be in a good mood all day. Submitted by a reviewer (Ontario,Canada) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
The Stranger Absolutely essential music! Beautiful lyrics recorded supurbly. Dim the lights, pure a glass of wine, put on the disc, and sit back in your love seat with your wife! Submitted by Jalgood310 (Royal Palm Beach, FL) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
FANTASTIC!! A very well-rounded album, with a rich ensemble that never overdoes it, though I think that "Only the Good Die Young" belongs on "An Innocent Man". Submitted by nychro7 (Boston) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Billy Joel Doing What He Does Best! This was an excellent album from Billy Joel, at least on an artistic front. However, production values are lacking, and even when I owned the half-speed master (audiophile record, for those who don't know), I played it the one time and I returned it, as I was that dissatisfied with the sound quality. The CD isn't much better either-you can repackage it all you want, but if the original master sounds like junk, there is nothing that you can do about it. If you aren't into the high fidelity scene like I am, then this is an excellent place to start your Billy Joel collection....however, if you are a hi-fi nut, I would start with an album like 52nd Street, or Glass Houses, and then work up the stomach to listen to The Stranger, but in all fairness, Billy Joel's outstanding songwriting quality is completely there, and so are the musical arrangements that he is known for! Submitted by J.R. (Minnesota, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
''Only The Good Die Young'' Billy Joel Is A Great singer I Love His Best Work. Submitted by Lawrence_Simmons (Wallingford CT USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
The Stranger
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