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Billy Joel - Cold Spring Harbor Audio CD

A fair review of the Billy Joel "Cold Spring Harbor" 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: Cold Spring Harbor
Rating:
Release Date: 2008-02-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: She's Got a Way 2: You Can Make Me Free 3: Everybody Loves You Now 4: Why Judy Why 5: Falling of the Rain 6: Turn Around 7: You Look So Good to Me 8: Tomorrow Is Today 9: Nocturne 10: Got to Begin Again

Got To Begin At Some Point
Right away I do need to mention that this album was remixed slightly in 1983 and,as a result of just a few of the drum tracks have a certain sound quality that. I tell you I've passed over this album many many times over the years and now that I finaly own it I couldn't be more happy. . that was just not in existant in when this album was originally recorded. When this album came out Billy Joel probably recorded it as a solo side project from Attila,the band he was a member of at the time and was basically going for a different kind of musical sound than he had with them. Somehow or other this had the effect of launching him on what turned out to be a hugely successful career as a solo artist. And it's not hard to see why because when one listens to this album,individuality is a key musical aspect of what he's going for. At this early point Billy is already putting his influences into place as he is not only making it clear how piano based his sound is but that his sound is just as based in jazz based American composers such as Gershwin and Broadway writers such as Jerome Kern,as well as people like Beethoven. Perhaps it was this rather old fashioned and sometimes retro cosmipoliton approch that made the music appear less rockish than say what Elton John was coming up with on a regular basis. The earlier sketch of "She's Got A Way" really brings that home well in that it's basically him on solo piano and nothing more. "You Can Make Me Feel Free" with all of it's dramatic chords has a prominant McCartney influence,especially as of his then new album Ram. On the uptempo "Everybody Loves You Now" and "Falling Of The Rain" strong compositions are married to arrangements. . . . that sound like what in fact the Gershwins might come up with if they recorded 70's pop/rock. Billy Joel is often underrated as a songwriter and even though I never personally felt that way,this album has actually increased the opposit side of the opinion for me. "You Look So Good To Me",as the other uptempo song here gets the same effect-again the music is not guitar oriented as so much of rock,especially bands like Attilla tended to be. There are plenty more wonderful ballads here such as the classically oriented pop piano instrumental "Nocturne" and more restrained pieces such as "Why Judy Why" and "Tomorrow Is Today". For sure it's not the full bodied sound that he would develope on his next album and isn't incredibly rhythmic but,it's not plain mellowness exactly either. Closer at times to. . . . the stark minimalism of John Lennon's John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. only with more perception and less harshness to the lyrical approch. Still it's enjoyable to see that even todays standards when dealing with an artist how can create something not only artistically but commercially contemporary and viable using these kinds of influences as a basis.
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Pre-Piano Man very impressive at corrected speed
You can hear the seeds of what was to come here from Billy Joel. . first coming together with the next album PIANO MAN, and then onward. A very worthwhile listen and must-have for the "collectors" among us of an artist with many influences but a unique voice. .


A Cold Spring Harbored
Here is the deal, Mr Joel PO'ed about this being released sounding so bad because he really was serious about not competing with the Chipmonks releases of the day that it was withdrawn from release (by the way got mine at a Hollywood swap meet at Capital records building on vinyl sealed for 35 USD in 1975)but Billy did not have to worry about it, he put out "Piano Man", it was a huge hit and it was mastered correctly and did not tank like this one when first released in 1970 & the rest, as they say, is history. This one would have got a full "5" stars but the tracks should have been matched up against the original vinyl version in my collection on family records, yes, your saying, but dude, the original album (if your lucky enough to have it) is mastered at the WRONG speed, well, dude's here is why, slow down the tapes and re-master the original! I have the vinyl version on CD as well (got it and a different remaster with different mixing and a longer version of one of the tracks as a bonus for that other version in a trade for rare vocal only Elton John tracks). Still a good album and should be very listenalbe by the average Joel fan.

Music fans, drop by my website for a look, it's googleable "Judemac Forever".


OLD IS GOLD _ BILLY JOEL ROCKS
I am an ardent fan of Billy. When i read the release write up i noticed completely "remastered". Have all his albums which this one i found on the amazon, a must for all Billy joel fans, the remastring of the original track is really worthy of mention.

A must buy a chip from the old block.


First album show true potential
Some of the songs have been re-recorded live on later albums but this album is still one of my favorites, along with Streetlife Serenade,Turnstiles,and 52nd Street. Even thought the album was recorded and then released accidentally recorded at the wrong speed, it still shows the true potential of Billy Joel.


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.

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