Fretplay.com Billy Joel CD reviews Billy Joel guitar tabs Billy Joel CD reviews Billy Joel tabs 52nd Street


Billy Joel - 52nd Street Audio CD

A fair review of the Billy Joel "52nd Street" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Billy Joel reviews here, or go back to the Billy Joel tabs.

Billy Joel Band: Billy Joel
Title: 52nd Street
Rating:
Release Date: 2001-07-31
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Big Shot 2: Honesty 3: My Life 4: Zanzibar 5: Stiletto 6: Rosalinda's Eyes 7: Half a Mile Away 8: Until the Night 9: 52nd Street

do not buy any cd from 42nd street music
It was as if they expected me to somehow overlook all those obvious signs and think of it as brand new when it is not. 42nd street music listed the billy joel sacd they sold me as brand new but when it showed up, there was no shrink wrap on it and there were smudges, scratches, stress marks and even finger prints on the cd cover and the cd disc.

I was very insulted by them and they refused to refund me for the cd or send me a new one. the cd i ordered is a SACD which was exactly what I wanted but of course without all the marks and scratches that came with it.

buyer beware!!!.


Billy Joel 52nd Street SACD review
I have not listened to it in stereo - only in surround, as that is why I got it. This is a great SACD. Who knew that Billy Joel has some awesome acoustic guitar parts on this album? I didn't, until I hear the SACD with the guitar in the left surround speaker. I am hearing many things I never picked up on the regular stereo recording. Albums like this are why SACD's exist.

Thumbs up!.


SACD mix is excellent
1 channel sound, and I am definitely hooked. Listening to the SACD version of this record is my first experience with true SACD 5. This recording sounds great! I had the original vinyl record decades ago, so I know it's a great album. What is worth raving about is the superior quality of the SACD format.

I find it sad that with the pervasivness of MP3 players (and the MP3 format), we are in a time of degrading quality of music reproduction. People are choosing convenience of delivery over quality of the sound.

This record sounds terrific in SACD. I'm now going to purchase as many SACD formatted versions of CDs I want to get as I can find; either pure (SACD only) or Hybrid SACD. The Hybrid format does make more sense.

If you like Billy Joel and appreciate high quality recording and reproduction, this is a must have CD.


Great SACD release, Mutli-channel is really well done.
1 multichannel not being as good as "The Stranger" SACD release. I would have to disagree with the reviews on the 5. It's it's equal easily.
The real issue is that "The Stranger" is just a better album to listen to.

52nd Street loses it it's strength after the Stilleto track and Stranger on whole is stronger from start to finish. Hence my 4 star rating versus the 5 I gave to Stranger in SACD.


Differences here for 52nd to a normal cd:
1) entire album sounds better. I never really liked Zanzibar, but changed
my mind after hearing this.

2) stand out tracks: Honesty (Vocal is exceptional on this one), Zanzibar(you can hear all the instruments finally), Stilleto (still think the Kohlept version is best though, it's got more kick and he seems to nail the feeling right)

Definitely worth buying.

Not worth buying, "Innocent Man" on SACD.
(straight Stereo dump to SACD, no multichannel. Sounds like a regular CD)

.


Better Sounds On DVD


Now that we got that out the way. Let me start off by saying that I don't actually own the SACD version of this album (and I don't believe the first reviewer did either). I'm a huge Billy Joel fan and this one of my favorite albums by him (Nylon Curtain still gets my #1 slot). But that's not why I'm writing this. I wanted to inform any of you out there that for the absolute best surround-sound job I've heard of Billy's work is The Essential Video Collection.

Even though you only get the greatest video hits (including some surprises), you get a phenominal surround sound mix of everything on here. I don't have any idea why the SACD of "An Innocent Man" is only done in stereo. The video contains all of the videos off that album remixed in true surround.

The video/audio that stands out in my mind the most was "Pressure". During the solo break, you will hear instruments omitted from the album release and panned all around your ears. It's pretty amazing, and of course, I would love if they did an entire SACD Surround for "The Nylon Curtain". Unfortunately, it doesn't look like SACD (or DVD-Audio for that matter) is really going to catch on as much as some of us audiophiles had hoped.

The Essential Video Collection is not to be taken as a greatest hits collection of early stuff (It has "Piano Man", not the video version but the live one from Yankee Stadium). It does not have any selections off of "The Stranger", but yet it has footage from "Turnstiles". It doesn't matter, the DVD is great and having the surround sound only adds more appeal.

The DVD is a must-have for every fan. Pick one up as soon as you can.


You can see a complete list of all Billy Joel discography, or go back to the Billy Joel tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

Search guitar tabs

#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
[ Search tabs | Guitar tabs | Bass tabs |
Easy guitar tabs | Guitar solo tabs |
Acoustic guitar tabs | Guitar chords |
How to read guitar tabs ]
Forum topics
Music forums
- Bands and artists - Songwriting and lyrics - Tablature talk - Promote your band
Instrument forums
- Guitar basics - Gear & accessories - Bass guitar
Community
- The pit - Site Feedback - Reviews
[ User survey | About us | Privacy statement ]