So Billy Joel decides to get hip and enter the 80s. Well that�s what most will have you think, but honestly only one song shows those influences. The rest is a mix of Beatles pop and psychedelia (!) with a smattering of schmaltz, because let�s face it, this is Billy Joel after all. I think the whole album could be considered a concept about the uncertainty that suburbanites had in the early 80s over their future (see the cover) but then again I could be giving more credit to Joel than deserved.
�Allentown� is an incredible song, from its train impersonating sound effects to its lyrics of the downtrodden. I have actually been to places like Allentown and Bethlehem and while it was no longer the depression of the early 80s when I went it is still a living condemnation of the shut down of the old guard in America. The lyrics are biting and insightful and Joel�s vocal modulations are a nice hook. �Laura� is about a manipulative woman. We have all known these types and the lyrics perfectly describe the relationship. The Beatlesque guitar parts are a beneficial addition and so is the use of the f bomb by Joel, also uttered whenever he happens to get drunk and drive into someone�s house. Now the 80s are upon us! �Pressure� is the song most draped in the atmosphere of the times with its booming drums and its cheesy synth hook. In fact it sounds like Joel was just messing around on one of those suckers and kept some of the pointless experimentation. The lyrics really don�t make sense, but one cannot deny the hooks nor the deft use of the tempo change during the verses. While Joel didn�t serve in Vietnam, he manages to try and cook up an epic about the experiences called �Goodnight Saigon.� Unfortunately, this song is way too long and leaves me cold. It tries to be anthemic and bombastic but its weak lyrical rhymes and the stretched out format of an epic betray its message.
I hate Christmas songs unless it�s the season for them. �She�s Right On Time� is as close to a Xmas song as I like things to get. It�s ok, but to be honest when its done I don�t really recall it much nor do I find myself humming it. �A Room of One�s Own� does not fare much better as the oldies melody is weak and the lyrical them of opposites is trite and has been done before. The slump of the 2nd side ends with �Surprises� a very nice song that is a, well a surprise, as it has a beautiful melody and instrumentation which shows an obvious influence from the Jeff Lynne style of composing. �Scandinavian Skies� is a major highlight and shows the psych influences previously mentioned. The lyrics are incomprehensible but the atmosphere of the song can not be denied with its sickly sounding strings, martial drumming and its general hazy/Magical Mystery Tour mood. This song leads into one of the most tasteful Billy with his piano songs in his catalog. �Where is the Orchestra?� could almost be the theme song to any person who has felt confused by life and what their purpose is. The stripped down piano playing combined with the restrained touches of woodwinds along with Joel�s confused and plaintive vocals just tug at the heart strings. Perfectly bringing the song and album to a close is the repetition of the main melody from �Allentown� playing softly in the background. See a concept? Maybe? Eh...
Final Comment: At times his most complex and yet accessible album. Besides a few poignant moment it does leave one cold though. Recommended.
Score: ***
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