What does /mu/ think of Billy Joel?

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Everyone thinks 'The Stranger' is the best because that's the only BJ album they listen to.

However me, an intellectual, thinks otherwise.

>>70762816
Everyone on the fucking planet has heard Piano Man.

>>70762921
I'm talking his full albums, not his singles.

Most people heard the SONG Piano Man but not many listen to his full albums.

But point still stands. Nylon is his peak.

His 70s stuff was more lounge piano and Northeastern flavored, his 80s stuff was more sleeked back arena pop. Him and Springsteen were the only guys on the radio in that era who had songwriting with any substance as opposed to the REO Speedwagon brand of manufactured buttrock.

Green Day sucks.

>>70762983
kek

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Piano Man [Columbia, 1974]

Joel's debut Cold Spring Harbor was recorded in the vicinity of 35 RPM to fit on all the material. He's like one of those eternal teenagers who just won't shut up. Stubborn little bastard, too. After his bid stiffed, he worked a Los Angeles cocktail lounge soaking up Experience. Here, he poses as the Irving Berlin of narcissistic alienation, puffing up to the condescending fantasies of fans who spend their entire lives by the stereo feeling sensitive. And just to show them who's boss, he hits them with a ballad in the manner of Aaron Copland. C+

>>70763150
EXACTLY. Surely HE must know the superiority of The Nylon Curtain

The Nylon Curtain [Columbia, 1982]

"People my age, 25 to 40, who grew up as Cold War babies, we don't have anybody writing music for us. There's a lot of formula rock aimed at the 11-year-old market, and there's a lot of MOR for people over 50. But this is an album dealing with us, and our American experience--guilt, pressures, relationships, and the whole Vietnam syndrome." Imagine--in a world where formula rock, MOR, and most of the in between is guilty of association with Billy's (and my) demographic, he talked that shit. OK, you say, so he's no sociologist, and though sociological aptitude does tend to clarify "experience," I'll let it pass. What shocks me is the realization that this consummate rock professional is working on instinct. The basic belief of Cold War babies is that anything less than everything is a cheat, and their piano man agrees. Sure, "Allentown" digs into the rust belt. Right, "Goodnight Saigon" ain't Rambo. And in the relationship songs, sexual politics rads like me were fretting about a decade ago come home to haunt guys who thought they were a crock. But always this music feeds off a sense of deprivation that transcends specifics--it's built into the psyche of the singer and his audience. Does it help that the John Lennon impression (signifying seriousness) vies with the Paul McCartney impression (signifying entertainment value)? You bet. But he's no less deluded than his audience. B

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>>70763224
>B
I can live with that.

Momrock

>>70763250
100% this

>>70763246
Christgau generally liked Joel's 80s stuff better than his 70s stuff.

Damn, I get it, Billy. You were married to a supermodel. There's no need to write 200 songs about it.

>>70763270
>Christgau generally liked Joel's 80s stuff better than his 70s stuff.
Christgau is 100000000% right...
(This time at least)

>>70763290
As I said, his 80s stuff had more of a pop sensibility, also he was older and his songs had more maturity than the Piano Man era when he was like 24-25.

>>70763410
This is all still very correct.
Good job, anon.

Nylon Billys peak: Confirmed.

OOO-EEE-OOO I LOOK JUST LIKE BILLY JOEL!

I'm glad he stopped after Fantasies & Delusions. Not many artists know when it's time to quit putting out albums.

>>70763678
Storm Front was pretty much the end, although An Innocent Man was his last truly great album. The Bridge was ok, and the Ray Charles cameo was especially fun, but a little too...tryhard? Storm Front had some catchy singles, but he seemed to be running out of gas, especially in being able to come up with good melodies.

He dropped Phil Ramone and the rest of his longtime crew for Storm Front, which was produced by that dipshit from Foreigner. Even though his last efforts with Ramone weren't as good, the two still had a chemistry that the Foreigner dipshit couldn't sub for.

>>70762983
lyl

Special treat: Modern Woman in which Billy expresses his dismay at feminism

I DOOOON'T KNOW WHHHHYYYYY I GOOOO TOOOO EXTREEEEMMMMMEESSS

I got a tab at Zanzibar.