I became aware of Billy Joel in 1973, with his Piano Man single. It seemed, during that period, that a number of UK artists had an American "equivalent" - David Bowie had Lou Reed, The Stones/Mott The Hoople had The New York Dolls and Elton John had Billy Joel. He was very much perceived as the USA's Elton John, serving up piano-backed, thoughtful ballads with a touch of rock here and there.
Personally, I properly got into him with the 52nd Street album in 1978, which inspired me to buy The Stranger too. Despite being preoccupied with punk and new wave at the time, this sharp, cool New Yorker appealed to me in the same way that Bruce Springsteen did. He was more than just a balladeer - he had a knack for an atmospheric lyric and he merged it with a tough, streetwise persona too. He had a knowledge of music history as well, reflected in many of his recordings.
There was always a down to earth honesty about Joel, together with a bit of wit that made him and his music an attractive prospect. The best material comes from the 1974-1978 period, a time where he just personifies that whole New York Italian restaurant vibe.
As for where it began for Billy....
This was Billy Joel's debut album, a long-forgotten offering from 1971, a bit like Elton John's Empty Sky. It is worthy of attention more for its hints of potential as opposed to anything incredibly memorable. It's a nice little album, though, without digging up any trees.
What a beautiful song to start a recording career with, however - She's Got A Way is simply lovely. One of Joel's great romantic ballads. Yes, the production is a bit rudimentary, as is the slightly un-honed vocal delivery but there is no keeping this song down. The gently pleasant AOR sound of You Can Make Me Free is similarly a bit of a diamond in the raw. Once again Joel's voice is a bit dodgy, sounding weakly McCartney-esque and at a much higher pitch than it would be a few years later. There is potential there, though, mainly in the lyrics and melody. Joel manages to sound like both McCartney and Lennon right at the end of the song.
The album's second embryonic Joel classic is the upbeat liveliness of Everybody Loves You Now, which went on to be often played live. "Between you and me and the Staten Island ferry" was one of Joel's first big New York lines and the song also has a lovely, rubbery bass line along with its rollicking, rolling piano cadences. Why Judy Why is a slow acoustic and bass ballad with more echoes of McCartney. It sounds as if it should be on The White Album.
Billy makes his piano keys tinkle and roll on the very early seventies-ish Falling Of The Rain. It sounds as if Joel is taking country, folky rock and giving it his own piano man touch. The piano is superb on this, I have to say. Turn Around is an Elton John-influenced piano ballad, once again full of typical Joel ear for a melody. You could really hear his potential here if not quite his execution. You Look So Good To Me is a jaunty little number and again there is a McCartney-esque carefree feeling to the song.
Tomorrow Is Today is a lovely, sensitive piano ballad while Nocturne, a piano instrumental, shows Joel's classical training off well. The album closes with the quiet ballad Got To Begin Again. The second half of the album was rather low key and Joel had yet to create the dramatic atmospheres and characterisation that would make many of his later songs so popular, but this was a gentle and warm beginning.
