908. Billy Joel / An Innocent Man. 1983. 3.5/5

Billy Joel’s career had been on a steady rise throughout the 1970’s, bringing a string of hit albums and singles to match. His album prior to the release of this one, 1982’s “The Nylon Curtain”, featured songs of a more serious tone lyrically than he had written in recent times, focusing on the changing times that he was living in, and some of the more serious topics that surrounded him. When interviewed about the tone of that album, Joel had said that he wanted to speak about the fact that because of the political and economic changes it was unlikely that you would inherit the same life that your parents had.
The success of that album and of its slightly darker tones brought Joel to a different plane when it came to recording its follow up. He had divorced his first wife and had been in the process of literally dating super models, women such as Elle MacPherson and Christie Brinkley. In interviews about this album in later years, he confessed that this new stage of his life actually made him feels like a younger man, and he began to go back and remember the happy times of his youth, which then made him think about the music that he listened to in those days and how much enjoyment he had gotten from that. And so it was from this that he came to write and record an album that utilised that music from his youth, and compose an array of songs in the same style of those artists that he loved from his childhood.
This of course could have been seen to be a move that could have hurt his musically. As much as those of his generation were still reminiscing about the same style of music that Joel was contemplating on composing, 1983 was as far from that music-wise as it could have been. It was the age of new-wave, pop-rock, glam metal and hard rock, and in no way a world that appeared conducive to a bout of 50’s and 60’s revivalist do-wop, soul and rock and roll. But this is still the direction that Joel went in, and the end result may well have been as surprising to him as it was to music listeners everywhere.

Now that I am older, though not necessarily wiser, but certainly of different and more varied music tastes, the stark fallback in musical genre that this album is generated from is something that is more interesting to face than it was in those early teenage years. It's not that it wasn't obvious all those years ago that there was a certain vintage quality about the songs on this album, it’s just that because they were Billy Joel songs it didn’t seem to matter. The fact is that this is in places such a vast divergence from the sound of the albums that went before it that as a package it really has to be dissected with that in mind. This IS an album that could have come from the 1950's and 1960's, with Billy writing each song as a homage to a different band or genre to the music of his childhood.
In the album linear notes, Joel explains what period or band each song is written with in mind, each as a homage to that particular artist, and as a result written ‘in the sound of’ that particular artist. Not a copy, not a rip-off, but as a loving original creation to stand as a tribute to them and their music that had inspired him as a child.
Taking all of that into consideration, crafting the album in this way and having the songs run smoothly throughout without affecting the flow of the album then becomes a task in itself. And given those wide variety of style of songs I’m sure people have different reactions to this.
The change in tempo and mood doesn't always make the album cohesive either. "Easy Money" is upbeat and vibrant, sung and played with gusto, before moving straight into the slow moving and moody title track "An Innocent Man" which is a completely different style. Then to complete the triumvirate you have "The Longest Time" which removes most of the instruments and relies mainly on the voices of Billy and his do-wop back up singers. Albums don't have to follow the same course of music style to be accessible, but it helps if there is some sort of progression, and here it feels a bit congested. "This Night" then moves into the bright and breezy "Tell Her About It" which is still a mood lifter whenever it gets played.
"Uptown Girl" is the song that everyone of my generation still knows off by heart and can sing along to whenever it is played. No matter that it is one of a plethora of songs where future second wife Christie Brinkley is the subject matter, it is still one of those songs that brings up memories of that era. "Careless Talk" always reminds me of the kind of music my grandparents used to play whenever we were over at their house, while "Christie Lee" is a little self indulgent and very much in the style of the legends that he has attributed it to, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis. "Leave a Tender Moment Alone" and "Keeping the Faith" were both released as singles late in the piece, and again their style mixes in within what has come before them.
In later years, what this album has reminded me most of its one of those K-Tel compilation albums of the era, when the ads proliferation our TV screens of the 1980’s, with a variety of songs from bands of the late 50’s and early 60’s, where they styles change from rock n roll and do-wop to soul and r and b. It’s just that all of the songs here are composed and performed by Billy Joel, and combine to make a unique sounding album for the mid-1980's.

When this album was first released, I loved it. I loved almost all of the songs on it, and especially those that were released as singles. I enjoyed the fact that it was not the usual new wave pop music that was dominating the radio at the time. The change of pace, the fun side and the soft side, it was all terrific. And that is how I remembered it, up until about a decade ago, when I started to go back and listen to all of Billy Joel’s discography in order, and break them all down for reviews for my music album review blog at the time. And that process was eminently enjoyable, until I reached “An Innocent Man”. Why? Well, what seems to have changed for me from the time of this album's release in 1983 through to that point in time is that while I enjoyed and loved the renditions of the songs back when they were released, at a time when I was beginning to discover music in a larger way, and enjoying everything that Billy Joel was releasing, now I find them... less interesting, bordering on boring in some cases. I believe most of that was because I had always remembered in my head how much I enjoyed that album, and that once I listened to all of Billy’s other material all together, I found the weakness – the kryptonite – of this album. That it now sounded like an album of the 1950’s and 60’s, and not an album of the 1980’s.
It's fair to say that I have mixed emotions over this album now. I still recall the love I had for it back in the mid-1980's and trying to come to terms with that in comparison to some of the doubts I harbour for it now makes it a juggling act. There's no doubt that I don't feel as positive about songs such as "Easy Money" and "Leave a Tender Moment Alone" and even "An Innocent Man" and "The Longest Time" as I did thirty years ago. That doesn't deny the fact that despite its change in style from other albums of his, this was still a big part of my early teenage years. And it doesn’t mean I think this is an average album, it just means that my thoughts on it have changed with the onset of time, for many reasons.
I have had this going for three weeks now in preparation for this episode, and while it still has good moments, for me it has become a little dated. It may sound like I am putting the album down, but more importantly I just think I have grown away from the music as it is written.

907. Billy Joel / The Nylon Curtain. 1982. 3.5/5

With multiple number one albums now under his belt, and hit singles that were being played around the world, and with a continued desire to experiment with his own style and diversify his own music, there is little doubt that this is exactly what Billy Joel does on The Nylon Curtain. The music again appears divided, with the style and setting of the songs showcasing different sides of his writing personality.

"Allentown" is a another of those Billy Joel best constructed songs that invokes the basic emotions that he is trying to convey by the course of a couple of tricks of the trade, here with the steam mill sound punctuating the track throughout and his own impersonation of that sound, while the piano and guitar make their own parts of the song their own.
"Laura" might want to be drawing in those Beatles references and influences within in the song, but what hurts it a little in my opinion is that it just goes too long. Five minutes for a Beatles song? Perhaps by the conclusion of their time, but their best songs were always the tightly constructed three and a half minute tracks where nothing dragged out to become boring. "Laura" for me does that. A shorter tighter version would have fitted better.
The distinctive keyboard riff that dominates "Pressure" has always been catchy and a major influence on the song and its popularity. The vocals and music come across as frantic and elevated, increasing and enhancing the lyrical content, and setting the scene of the song by creating an atmosphere of pressure within the music itself. This is followed by the emotionally charged "Goodnight Saigon", whose slower building influence through the music and vocals is carried by the chopper blades during the intro and outro.
When it comes to the second half of the album, it feels a bit the same way that the second half of Glass Houses comes across. None of the songs really seem to capture the imagination like those on the first half of the album. The fact that everything here has obviously been constructed with a theme in mind means that the listener will either accept it and enjoy it, or just be confused by it. It starts off with "She's Right On Time" and "A Room Of Our Own", and those influences are immediately obvious.
"Surprises" may as well be John Lennon's posthumous song, such is the writing of the song, and Billy's vocals which are without doubt mimicking Lennon's style inimitably. More of the same follows with "Scandinavian Skies". And the songs are good, there's no problem there. But do you need to hear Lennon singing a Joel song? Is the trouble you go to in order to create two songs such as these, with their distinct renditions of the style of one of your influential bands, worth the creative process to put on an album that is showcasing your material? the same question can be asked of the closing track, "Where's the Orchestra?" which while giving a more Paul McCartney impression on the song still has the same values attached. Should I be listening to a Billy Joel album and wondering why I am hearing songs that may just be modernised Beatles themes?

Once again a Billy Joel album leaves me feeling conflicted. I feel I should be rating this highly, because the music performance is once again top notch, with a perfect combination of all of the instruments which bring the perfect emotional level to each song. But again, the mixing of styles almost always leaves me feeling as though something is lacking, missing, or just not as I expected. It's probably the latter. Given that, this is still yet another all encompassing album that stretches the formwork of the talents within the band, and gives off more highlights that it holds back.

Rating:  "You have no scars on your face".   3.5/5

906. Billy Joel / Songs in the Attic. 1981. 3.5/5

Songs in the Attic indeed. Releasing a live album at this stage of his career was a no brainer, not only because it would give him and the band a break from writing new material, but it also gave them the opportunity to showcase their wares in the live environment. What it also did was to bring to light songs from the early albums of his career that for the most part would have been almost unknown for many of his fans who had only come to discover him through the success of The Stranger.

Perhaps the best part of this album is that almost all of the songs sound much better in their live setting here than they necessarily do from their studio versions on the albums they originate. Perhaps it could be argued that the production here, helmed by Phil Ramone once again, is part of that process. but it is hard to argue that the band sound great live on stage, and the larger and fuller piano sound along with Billy's vocals when singing to an audience rather than an empty studio are also major factors in this.
The songs that appear here are, for the most part, the best songs from his early work, though most were (and probably still are) relatively unknown to his fan base. And they sound better, fuller. "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)" opens the album in style and sounds terrific here. "Summer, Highland Falls" and "Streetlife Serenader" are also upgraded here from their excellent studio versions, and given more life in the process without harming their initial fabric. "Los Angelenos" perhaps drags a little, but still sounds good. Two of Billy's early notable tracks, "She Got a Way" and "Everybody Loves You Now" are given a prominence here that they deserve. This live version of "She's Got a Way" made it into the charts upon its release, more so for the fact it was a "new" song to many who heard it.
The second side of the album is kicked off by the heavyweight duo of "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" and "Captain Jack", which both crackle on these live versions. Billy's vocal enthusiasm along with that of his band draw the best out of both these excellent songs, and the albums would have been worth it for these two songs alone. The final three songs are still hit and miss, and while the live renditions sound great, the trio of "You're My Home", "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" and "I've Loved These Days" aren't quite the dynamite finish you would prefer on an album of note.

When this was released it was an excellent way to get a taste of those early Billy Joel songs, and a feel for his writing in those days. Strangely enough, it is perhaps still the best way to experience his early work, as the majority of his best songs from that period are here, and performed wonderfully well.

Rating:  "Captain Jack will get you high at night, and take you to your special island".  3.5/5

905. Billy Joel / Glass Houses. 1980. 3.5/5

Over a career that had already spanned over a decade by the time it came around to 1980, Billy Joel had parlayed a talent in music into a burgeoning career that saw his popularity on an ever-increasing curve. His early albums had seen songs make themselves popular on the radio, which in turn saw greater attendances at live gigs in the US and more so around the world.
His 1977 release “The Stranger” has exploded this ever further, yielding four top 25 hits on the US Billboard charts in “Just the Way You Are”, “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song), “Only the Good Die Young” and “She’s Always a Woman”, along with another fan favourite n “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”. “The Stranger” also reached #2 on the album charts in the US and was top ten around the world. This was followed by his next album “52nd Street” in the following year which went to #1, and with other big selling singles in “My Life”, “Big Shot” and “Honesty” Joel had reached a peak point in his career.
Flowing on from the revitalisation of his music, which was now successfully finding its way all around the globe, the promise of his next album “Glass Houses” found itself fighting its way in a new world of music genres. With the time span of his two previous albums, the music world had seen the rise in popularity of the disco scene, and on the back of this had seen the rise of the punk scene. Joel’s two albums had sliced through those genres and topped the charts with his piano based romantic ballad styled hits, along with some mid tempo almost-rock pop tunes to help out along the way. One of the things Billy had been able to do over the years was to not only ride out the popularist music of the time that he was writing new material but also be able incorporate change in his own music writing that suited where he was at that point time both personally and in music. In this regard, it has been suggested that “Glass Houses” is his answer to this time in music, that he incorporates closer to a full rock album on this release while also fusing in some new wave elements that were beginning to make their mark on the 1980 music scene. Whether or not that was the intention he had here or even that there was this kind of thought behind it, there are more songs on this album that fit into the upbeat variety than the reflective piano dominating songs that were a feature of his early albums. And listening back to this album now, and reflecting just what was happening to music at the turn of the 1980’s decade, there is just that possibility that Billy Joel had timed his run with this style of album to a nicety.

The first side of this album is excellent and probably the one where casual listeners to Billy Joel’s music will enjoy the most. It is where the most concentrated of his best songs appear. "You May Be Right" opens the album with the sound of glass smashing, no doubt from the rock Billy holds on the cover of the album, about to throw through the window of his own home at the time. This is the upbeat, guitar driven rock number that signifies that change in the way the album is heading. Billy sings his lyrics in forthright fashion with an attitude that befits them, and the guitar solo is accompanied by the saxophone that was to proliferate the new wave era ahead as well. This was the first single released from the album and starts “Glass Houses” off in style. “Sometimes a Fantasy” has a strong guitar riff throughout but also brings in a synth riff through the chorus and into the middle solo section of the song to again signify that this album has the rock and new wave parts combining to give it a place in both genres at a time when both were influencing the music trends. This is very much tied to the era and its influence on the album is significant. This is then completely reversed by “Don’t Ask Me Why” which follows. "Don't Ask Me Why" has very Beatles-esque qualities about it, or at the very least a George Harrison slash Paul McCartney style, which lightens up the album a touch from the opening two songs. Billy’s vocals on this track definitely channels both of those amazing voices that proliferated that band’s songs, and even now when I hear this song, I can almost see the Beatles playing it. This is followed by "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me", one of my favourite Billy Joel songs. His conversational tone throughout, singing back and forth to himself in conversation, and with another great sax spot in the middle of the song, works exceptionally well in making it not only an easy song to sing along to, but also makes a song that fits easily into any music playlist. This was the third song released as a single form the album, and became Billy Joel’s first US #1 single. The concluding track of side one of the album is the light and upbeat “All for Leyna”. This is a real piano rock song, with Billy’s tinkling of the ivories taking centre stage, and then switching to synth and guitar in the middle of the track.
All five songs on side one of the album were released as singles in some territories, while none of the five on side two were released in that fashion. Was this a deliberate ploy? To stack side one with the main songs, and then leave side two to fend for itself? They certainly aren’t bad songs, but they have nothing that jumps out at you or grabs your attention to make them stand out from the pack, or for the most part even get you tapping your foot or singing along with the lyrics.
“I Don’t Want to Be Alone” is built around the piano and Billy’s vocals again, both leading the song through the majority of its tenure on the album. "Sleeping with the Television On" has its moments, while “Cetait Toi (You Were the One)” falls back to his piano based ballad style, with lilting vocals over his softer toned piano. The final two songs hover around the same structure as the interspersed rock style. “Close to the Borderline” has Billy venting about the pressures being put on by the environment around him and how close it is pushing him to a breaking point, with lyrics like “Blackout, heatwave, .44 caliber homicide, The bums drop dead and the dogs go mad, In packs on the west side, Young girl standing on a ledge looks like another suicide, She wants to hit those bricks, 'Cause the news at six gotta stick to a deadline” while the closing track “Through the Long Night” again tends to channel a Beatles tune, the vocals again particularly imitating that range of harmonies that they were so wonderful at.
The selection of tracks for each side of the album makes for an interesting conversation. If the better songs were spread more evenly through the album, would that make the album a better listen? Or by putting what is commonly believed to be the better songs all on the first side of the album, and allowing the second side of the album to become a bit too similar and familiar without anything standing out that makes you not only want to listen to it but make you remember anything about the songs there at all, does that make it easier to market by bringing in everyone on that first half of the album?

My introduction to Billy Joel came via the singles released on the radio, and over the first half of the 1980’s they began to endear themselves to me. In particular this occurred with the release on “An Innocent Man” album and the single “Uptown Girl”. My first album though was the “Greatest Hits Vol 1 & 2” double album which I received for Christmas in 1985, with all of those great songs from his career to that point. And I played that a lot and have done so in the 40 years since I got it. But it wasn’t until much later in life that I began to go back and collect the individual albums to find out what his other material was like. “Glass Houses” was one that I had heard around different places, not the least my in-laws, where my mother-in-law Christine was a big fan of his and in particular this album.
As I have already alluded to, the first side of the album is where all of the singles came from, and it is fair to say the best songs on the album. I was always a fan of “You May Be Right” and “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” before I got this album, and “Don’t Ask Me Why” and “All for Leyna” were also familiar but became favourites as I listened to the album. “Close to the Borderline” has always been an interesting song, and I think it is the lyrics that intrigue me the most and were what led me to enjoying that song along with the harder sound of guitar and drums on that track. And the very Beatles-like sounds and harmonies of both “Sometimes a Fantasy” and “Through the Long Night” are wonderfully well performed, and whether or not those similarities are deliberate or not I enjoy them both for Billy’s talent and those familiar tones.
I’ve had my CD copy of this album on this week, likely for the first time since I picked it up. When it comes to Billy Joel, I will generally default back to my “Greatest Hits 1 & 2” for its known qualities, but when I do go to an album it is always enjoyable. And this one is no exception.
I haven’t actually done a ranking of Billy Joel’s album to this point in time – yes, yes, I know, very slack – but of his 13 studio albums I would suggest it is in the top five, not in the top two. That’s the best you are going to get at this point in time.
Billy’s career continued to rise through the 1980’s decade, with more albums and singles and sellout out concerts. This point of his career was arguably in the middle of a 6-7 year period where he sat on the crest of that wave and rode it into shore. And some of his most iconic material was still yet to come.

904. Billy Joel / 52nd Street. 1978. 3.5/5

With the world at his feet, Billy Joel set about trying to come up with a follow up album to be compared with The Stranger. Given its success and the pressure on him to find a collection of songs that would instill the same amount of excitement from his fans would have been daunting. It went on to become his first number one selling album in his native U.S, but was that on the back of past performances?

The opening track is brilliant, and Billy's vocals drip with irony and attitude throughout "Big Shot". "Honesty" comes straight at you with its balladesque basis, but in a different way from those on the previous album, "Just the way You Are" and "She's Always a Woman". They felt positive and happy, whereas this is loaded with sadness and disappointment. The different feeling it provokes causes a conflict with that from the opening song. This is exacerbated by the next song, "My Life", which again mixes emotions through the song with an upbeat tempo in the music. All three songs are some of the better known in Billy Joel's discography, and while I love "Big Shot" and "My Life", "Honesty" seems out of place with its dip in vibe.
"Zanzibar" is one of those songs in Billy's career that shines in its place, even though it was not released as a single. The many references to being in a bar and sports personalities and events, along with the a very jazz-influenced style in the music, makes it a easy and rewarding track.
"Stiletto" has an unusual structure, mixing staccato lyrical passages with two different sax breaks, a piano medley in another part as well as finger clicks which change up the way the song breaks. I like the song, maybe because of maybe despite the unusualness of it. "Rosalinda's Eyes" was apparently written about his mother, though the song doesn't grab me so much. "Half a Mile Away" returns to a upbeat style of song to lift the mood along the way.
"Until the Night", while inspired by the Righteous Brothers and having a sound that emulates theirs quite convincingly, for me is just a little too repetitive and a little too long to get the most enjoyment out of. Bring it in at about four minutes and then perhaps I would be OK with it, but it does feel as though it is dragging out longer than necessary by the time you get to the end of the song. The album concludes with the short and sweet title track "52nd Street".

While this is a good album it doesn't live up to its predecessor, but that was always going to be a huge task. What 52nd Street offers is some more very good songs, some that use the same pedigree as what has come before, and others that have taken a chance on a slightly different direction. Taken on face value without any negativity, this album is an enjoyable and interesting listen.

Rating:  "I don't care what you say anymore..."   3.5/5

903. Billy Joel / The Stranger. 1977. 4.5/5

Though I wasn't old enough to know how all of these albums performed on their release during the 1970's, by listening to the first four albums in order of their recording, you could see a pattern emerging. A pattern where the talent of Billy Joel and his band in each recording was obvious, but that there was something that was just holding back each album from becoming a breakout, an album that everyone wanted and knew. Rather than an album where one or two songs stood out from the others around them, producing an album that had no weak points, only great songs one after the other. With The Stranger, Billy Joel hit the jackpot.

This is an album where everything comes together, a perfect storm of song writing and performing, of getting the right mix of moods and tempos so that they work together rather than standing alone in a stark environment, so that although each song is memorable, it doesn't feel as though it has drawn all of the spotlight of the album, leaving the rest to make up the numbers.
From the beginning the album feels right and encourages you to sing along and enjoy the ride. "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" starts out in a jaunty story that combines Billy's wonderful story telling style in an easy going song that is immediately enjoyable. This segues nicely into the whistling tune that is "The Stranger", complemented by the piano and horns. Despite the somewhat sinister subtext of the lyrics, this is a terrific song, once again very easy to sing along with as the music and vocals roll along.
"Just the Way You Are" is another of Billy's easygoing, ballad love songs that he does so well. It was his first top ten single in the US, and by his own admission was a song that neither he nor the band liked very much. Must be tough writing a song you didn't like but became your biggest selling song to that point in time. This is followed by "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant", another lengthy story in song form, which has a wonderful mood about it, as well as three separate 'chapters' that have changes in the music through the song.
"Vienna" starts off the second side of the album with its basis of piano and drums with Billy crooning over the top. "Only the Good Die Young" changes tack again, back into upbeat sassy movement pushed along by the band at its best. "She's Always a Woman" should be a song that never appeals to me. It is in that genre that I steer clear of, that I don't want to be a part of. The love song, the crooning ballad, is the type of song that usually has been running screaming to the hills in every other style of music I listen to. Well, the story of the matter here is that this is sung and played so beautifully by Billy that you can't help but love it. The performance is spectacular and subtle, quiet and reflective and yet soaring when it needs to. It is a terrific song, and surprisingly enough one that I have never had a problem with admitting that I like, even with scorn and ridicule from others around me. Go figure.
"Get It Right the First Time" is a lightweight, upbeat song that utilises the flute to give it an airy feeling throughout. The album closes with "Everybody Has a Dream", which was written back around the time that Cold Spring Harbor was recorded. It has the easy feeling that many of the songs off that album have. This is followed by a reprise of "The Stranger", with the piano and whistle fading out to complete the album on a high note.

On all counts, this is Billy Joel's finest album. It was the moment that he found the magical component he was looking for that elevated him to that next level, and produced songs that could appeal to people of all ages. Despite the half a dozen songs that came on the first four albums that should be considered as essential Billy Joel classics, for the beginner, this would be the perfect place to start.

Rating:   "Sinners are much more fun, cos only the good die young".  4.5/5

902. Billy Joel / Turnstiles. 1976. 3/5

Whether or not the album is written exclusively about Billy's own departure from the west coast of the US to return to his home back on the east coast and New York, the influence in the writing and the references to both are plentiful on this album. Everything seems positive in one direction and maybe not the other! As a device to produce a more enthusiastic follow up to the somewhat laid back effort that was Streetlife Serenade it has for the most part appeared to succeed.

The opening joyousness expressed in "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" kicks off the album on an uplifting note. Yes, Billy Joel's best music contains either positives overtones or an upbeat tempo in the song, and this does it best on both levels.
"Summer. Highland Falls" is characterised not only by a constant rolling piano playing that even sounds like a river gently flowing towards the falls, it has the clarinet in the middle of the songs that also brings up visions of that forest area that the river is flowing through. The reggae styling of "All You Wanna Do Is Dance" are probably what hinders the enjoyment of this song for me. Reggae is not my thing, and while the song itself is harmless it does detract from the album for me.
"New York State of Mind" is a brooding, moody song, one that finds its way forward in a stuttering way, mixed with sax and piano. It has become a favourite even though it was not released as a single. Personally I enjoy it enough to sing along to when I hear it, but it isn't a song I go out of my way to find. "James" then opens the second side of the album, and to be honest I feel the same way about it. It's a song that is well regarded within the Billy Joel community, but it doesn't strike a lot of chords with me.
Billy's story-telling songs are generally some of his best. In particular, those songs where he sings along at a speed where he seems to be trying to fit two lines in a space where there is only room for one are his most descriptive and most fun to learn and sing along with. "Angry Young Man" is such a song, and is one I enjoy for all of those reasons. Both sides of the story seem to come here, the description of the 'angry young man' and the reflective side from one who has seen (or been through) it all before. The frenzied piano keying of "Prelude" to start and then complete the song adds to the drama of the song. Terrific stuff.
"I've Loved These Days" brings the tempo and mood back a cog again, which is slightly disappointing on a personal level after the previous song, while "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)" does build throughout the song, but in the end ends as so many songs of this era of Billy's music do, on a slow decline to a single tempo that is enhanced by his marvellous vocals and terrific piano, but as songs perhaps only just come in above the average.

This album has more than its predecessor to enjoy, both overall and in the choice of two or three excellent songs of their own accord. As a whole it does still sit within the range that all of his first four albums have done - great musicianship and some cracking tunes, though rounded out by many songs that eventually all have the same modus operandi, and thus not breaking them out of the average to the extraordinary.

Rating:   "And he's proud of his scars and the battles he's lost".  3/5.

901. Billy Joel / Streetlife Serenade. 1974. 2.5/5

After two albums that had had varying degrees of success and popularity, and a career that was beginning to head in the right direction, the story goes that Billy Joel was under some pressure from the record company to get out another album to build on the success of Piano Man. Writing time was at a premium, and one could safely say that that does seem to come through in the music on Streetlife Serenade.

"Streetlife Serenader" starts the album off calmly and, dare I say it, serenely. As it turns out, the opening song seems to set the standard for the majority of the album, as for the most part the songs here are set in a calming atmosphere that is rarely broken free of. "Los Angelenos" and "The Great Suburban Showdown" are songs that are fine but that don't quite break out of the mould that has been set here. "The Great Suburban Showdown" could have been an Eagles song without the harmonies that band would have brought to the table.
"Roberta" is a pretty song, featuring the best of Billy's 'sweet' vocals. "Last of the Big Time Spenders" is again kept afloat more by Billy's marvellous vocals than by the music itself. "Weekend Song" sounds like it should be being performed live in a blues club, while "Souvenir" is a short piano ballad which on its own is another that showcases the best of his ability on both the keys and his vocals.
The two piano instrumentals on the album are of differing styles, and both are excellent. "Root Beer Rag" is very much as the title suggests, a honky tonk ragtime musical piece "The Mexican Connection" closes the album in its beautiful style, upbeat in mood and writing, it has the other instruments firmly in the background while the piano takes centre stage. It is a clear, crisp musical interlude to finish off the album on a high note.
"The Entertainer" is the song that stands out from the crowd on this album. It is the one song that shows some urgency, some real passion and energy. The song builds throughout its 3 minutes and 41 seconds, with another instrument coming into the song with each verse, until by the end we have a cacophony all blended together to make the song sound like a musical production in itself. Billy's vocals also build through the song, starting off quietish as he explains his way through his career, until we get to the end where he is at his biggest point. It's a cleverly written and performed song, which is still one of my favourites of his, and really does tower over this album as its masterpiece.

I'm still not sure exactly how I feel about this album. You can't question the musicianship on the album, but it does feel as though there is something missing in the song writing. "The Entertainer" is the absolute stand out song on the album, but apart from that the others all have little to distinguish themselves from the ordinary. It is an easy listen to put this album on and let it run through, but even now when it is over, there's probably not a lot of encouragement to listen to it once again.

Rating:  "I'm not a serenader, and I'm not a long haired band".  2.5/5

900. Billy Joel / Piano Man. 1973. 3.5/5

Billy Joel had been through some tough personal issues leading up to gaining his elusive first recording contract, and once this had occurred he would have felt that those troubles would have been over. However this was not to be, and having his first album “Cold Spring Harbour” mixed incorrectly and mastered at too high a speed meant that he was extremely unhappy with how that first album had turned out. Whether or not he would have been able to extricate himself from that contract without help is unlikely, at least not without a lot of pain. In the long run, he had a stroke of luck, and Columbia Records came knocking on his door offering him a chance after having seen a live recording he had made for a radio station become an underground hit. He was still legally bound to his first record company, but eventually (apparently under some pressure from Columbia) that contract was sold to his new label, and he was able to move forward on a major record label.
The release of “Piano Man” on Columbia thus gave Billy Joel an international profile that may well have exceeded his expectations. It certainly gave him a chance to show that apart from his song writing he was able to incorporate much more into his music than just lyrics and piano. He moved to Los Angeles on signing his contract and remained there for three years. For six months when he first arrived he played at The Executive Room piano bar on Wilshire Boulevard. It was during that time that he observed those around him, the customers he saw there on a daily basis, and slowly put together a story that he put to music all about the bar’s patrons. It was a song that was to become his signature piece, a song that would change his life and be revered around the world.

"Piano Man” immediately comes across as far more upbeat than “Cold Spring Harbour” both lyrically and musically. The opening track "Travelin' Prayer" reminds me of that old favourite "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", with the obvious reason being the violin fiddling away at a furious pace at different sections of the song. Add to this the honky tonk piano and the banjo and the similarities in style are complete. It makes for a great opening to the album. The titular track comes next, and "Piano Man" is the obvious gold nugget of the album, the song that has defined the artist and his career. Based around his own experiences of playing at a bar over those early years, the almost autobiographical song is known by people of all ages all over the world, and is the one song everyone can identify with Billy Joel. It still sounds as marvellously fresh and vital as it must have done on its release. "Ain't No Crime" is a good follow up, no doubt drawing on personal experiences to put together the lyrics, and sounding almost gospel in music and vocals. "You're My Home" was written by Billy as a gift for his wife on Valentine's Day, as he had no money at the time to buy her anything. It must be nice to be able to be talented enough to do such a thing.
"The Ballad of Billy the Kid" is lyrically, in Billy's own words, factually inaccurate, with many lines within the song having no part of the actual life of Billy the Kid. Despite this revelation, the song itself sounds great and is another sing-along hit.
"Worse Comes to Worst" opens up the second side of the album and combines variations of themes such as country, rock and gospel in a mix that strangely works, mainly through Billy's heartfelt vocals and marvellous piano playing. "Stop in Nevada", "If I Only Had the Words (To Tell You)" and "Somewhere Along the Line" all feel a bit monosyllabic in regards to the music, if not the song lyrics themselves. "If I Only Had the Words (To Tell You)" is the best of the three songs, but unlike the lively first side of the album, here it feels as though it gets bogged down a little.
"Captain Jack" was the song that is credited as the song which led to Columbia records wanting to and eventually signing Billy Joel to a record deal. On tour before this album was even thought of, Billy and his band played this at a live performance for a radio station, who then played that live version of this song for the next 12 months because of the number of requests they received to play it, not only gaining popularity from its listeners but gaining interest from record companies. It has been a favourite ever since, and one that I've always enjoyed because of the move from sublime to the raucous rendition of the chorus throughout. As a closing song, it is instrumental in wanting you to play the whole album over again because of the enjoyment you get from this finishing melody.
While the overall songs here are another step in the direction that Billy Joel eventually found as his middle ground, I would not class this as a better album overall than “Cold Spring Harbor”. The two standout songs aside, there is not much difference in the quality and enjoyment of the songs here and from his first album. they are all enjoyable and have wonderful musicianship, but there was certainly better yet to come.

Catching up to all of Billy Joel’s albums, especially those from the first half of his career, was something that I didn’t get around to doing until about 15 years ago. The singles from the radio I knew well, and then the Greatest Hits compilation that came out in the 1980’s filled a lot of other spaces. And occasionally I would be at a get together at someone’s house, and a Billy Joel album would come on. But as to actually getting those albums myself, and listening to them, it was some ways down the track.
Thus when I did get “Piano Man” and listen to it for the first time, I was still pleasantly surprised. The basis of his music is all here, written around his piano and vocals, and then expanded beyond that with other instruments and supporting vocals when needed. And listening to Billy Joel play piano and sing at you is always something worth doing. The songs here are his usual collection of lively upbeat songs and quieter more reflective songs, each with their own stories and derivatives throughout.
It is hard to believe that this album is 50 years old, perhaps because I didn’t hear it until so long after it was released, but more from the fact that the title track itself just doesn’t feel that old. Billy’s albums are all contemporary enough that they could have been written and recorded in any of the decades stretching from the 1970’s to the 1990’s, so the fact this one has reached its 50th anniversary is amazing.
I have listened to this a lot over the last 2-3 weeks, and it is still a great and easy listen. The songs that did not receive radio airplay are still solid tracks, and the album blends well together. For me it is somewhat true that it is the albums in the second half of his recording career that I enjoy the most, but that doesn’t change the fact that his albums of the early to mid-1970's are also very good. "Piano Man” is the epitome of that simile.

899. Billy Joel / Cold Spring Harbor. 1971. 3.5/5

I have only recently gone backwards in time to partake in the earliest Billy Joel albums. Like many of my vintage I know the popular tracks, and I know the albums from the late 1970's and early 1980's, but the first albums are mostly a mystery to me. In order to be able to complete my Billy Joel collection, I wanted to be able to say that I had experienced all aspects of the journey.

For the most part this is a sombre, melancholy and reflective album. Whereas the Billy Joel that most music listeners know has songs that are at an upbeat tempo and come out of the speakers with an enthusiasm that bounds, the majority of songs here are set back in recording, happy to float out at you rather than jump out. What you will hear is that wonderful piano sound that dominated the 1970's by both himself and Elton John. When that piano takes centre stage, with the drums and bass playing as the background, and Billy's vocals crooning over the top, that is when his songs, and this album, sounds at its best. "Falling in the Rain" and "Turn Around" are particularly good examples of this. They are favourites of mine on this album simply because they are the perfect mix of Billy's strengths, vocally, lyrically and the piano.
"She's Got a Way" is the best known of these tracks, as it has continued to creep into live sets through the years. I don't mind the song, but I don't think it is the strength of this album at all. "You Can Make Me Free" is what first lights up this album for me, if only because Billy brings his vocals and piano out the front for the first time, igniting the album in a away the opening track does not.
"Everybody Loves You Now" is the one song that differs from the norm, driven along by Billy's piano and showing off a disposition that is slightly out of character with the majority of these songs, though only because the others tend to slip on the side of misery. There is more anger in the lyrics here than anywhere else on the album, but it creates an uplifting vibe rather than a downward one. The other side of the coin comes through in "Tomorrow is Today" and "Nocturne", both lovely sounding songs but at the heart of the lyrics is... well... the broken heart. Certainly this is the case from the former song, which then segues into the instrumental piece of "Nocturne", but there is really no need for lyrics in this song to convey its emotional impact. There's no doubt about Billy Joel's talent in these two songs, one those explains his emotions perfectly with lyrics in the first song, and then perfectly in music in the second.
One should also quickly make mention of the fact that this was mastered at the incorrect speed, and this the vocals in particular sound anything but like Billy Joel. The stories regarding this event are out there for those interested in reading about them. Suffice to say Billy was not happy, and changed producer and record company from the following album onwards.

Some may say that casual listeners of Billy Joel's music would not like this album. To be fair, casual listeners would not even go looking for this album. It wasn't recorded for them. It was recorded as the first step to what Billy Joel and his music became. That's not to say the biggest fans will necessarily enjoy this either, but they at least will appreciate the skill and diversity that exists on this album compared to what came after it. There may not be a lot of joy and happiness within the songs on this album, but there is little doubt as to the talent that still exudes from it even in this modern day. Embryonic perhaps, but there is a lot to gain from taking the time to listen to this again.

Rating:  "Maybe you will find a little time to think of me".  3.5/5

898. David Bowie / The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. 1972. 4/5

On any list of 'world's best albums' or 'albums you must listen to before you die' you will find the name David Bowie a number of times, and especially this album. Few people who have a love of music in general would not know the name of Ziggy Stardust, even if they are unaware of the full history of the name, the character or the album. As it turn out, I am not overly au fait with everything David Bowie myself. I know all of the singles he released, and I know the more famous of the other tracks that weren't, but when it comes to a detailed knowledge of all of his albums, I am as much the apprentice as others.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars is one that I have a better knowledge of in his discography. It wasn't until ten years or so ago that I actually obtained it and listened to it in full, rather than the snatches of pieces I had heard through the ages. I had listened to the album plenty of times before I was informed that it is a concept album, loosely telling the story of Ziggy Stardust himself. OK, so I had sort of pieced together that it was a little like that, but I never really went looking for that in the lyric and the music. I approached it from the start as any album, and while the songs do tend to segue seamlessly into each other with a modicum of ease, the 'story' never really stuck with me.
I love the way that the opening track "Five Years" builds its way to a peak, letting the listener come into the album with the band, slowly but surely increasing the urgency of the message to everyone. "Soul Love" does a similar thing, building to a high point in the middle of the song before fading back out towards the end. "Moonage Daydream" delivers an unbelievable solo section at the back end of the song, combining guitar, synth and keyboards to give off that impression of being in space. This then moves into the excellent "Starman" which again combines that amazing "Bowie" sound of both acoustic and electric guitar with synth through the background that he uses so well, along with his perfect vocal. Awesome. "It Ain't Easy" is a cover of the Ron Davies song, and which is wonderfully "Bowiefied" from the country rock song it is to a glam rock hybrid to close out side one.
Side two starts off with "Lady Stardust" which to me is just an average run of the mill song, but this then moves into "Star", a more upbeat song, driven by the piano chords and background "oohs" and "aaaahs" as Bowie does his thing over the top. Wistfully wonderful. "Hang On to Yourself" has never really worked for me. It's just a bit off the beaten track, a bit too repetitive and has never grabbed me. "Ziggy Stardust" is similar but different, and quite possibly just for the way Bowie sings it. There is again nothing too special about the song, except it is Bowie's vocals that are absolute centre stage, and they make it what it is.
My favourite Bowie song of all time is still probably "Suffragette City", with that great opening riff, the sax through the song with the piano backing, with Bowie singing at himself. It is spectacular, just one of those songs that grabs you from the first time you hear it and it never leaves you. That is "Suffragette City" for me. The album concludes with "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide", which details the final demise of Ziggy Stardust, ending the album in much the way it started, as a musical show more than an album itself.
Even now this is an album that almost demands you are in a mellow frame of mind in order to listen to it and get the most out of it. The ebbs and flows of the music - but it's not the kind of album you put on at a rousing party, it's the kind of album you put on when everyone has left, and you just want to sit down and relax for a bit and enjoy the relative serenity. This is the atmosphere where you can derive the most from what the album delivers.

This is rightly held up as an all time classic. If I was a music historian over all genres of music I would give this full marks. On a personal preference level, I lean much more towards the heavier side of music, and as such rate it here in a way that distinguishes it from all of the other albums I love. So while I may not give it five stars here, you can be assured that I still think it is an album that everyone should experience, just for the genius of David Bowie.

Rating:  "Wham bam thank you ma'am!".   4/5

897. Anthrax / Persistence of Time. 1990. 5/5

The progression of Anthrax through their first four albums was on a similar path that their contemporaries all travelled along. The opening album of pure thrash metal, with vocals that serviced what the band had written but from what more was needed. The second album that was tighter musically and vocally more proficient. The third album that funnelled all of that into producing an album that was at the top of their form, one that still holds true years later. Anthrax had done this as well, with that progression from the “Fistful of Metal” album, and then the change of vocalist that went on to produce “Spreading the Disease” and the legendary “Among the Living”, that still holds true against two other third albums in the discography of highly regarded thrash metal artists, “Reign in Blood” and “Master of Puppets”. In 1988 Anthrax then released their fourth album, “State of Euphoria”, an album that still enthralled the fans and sold as well as the band’s previous two albums, but critically was reviewed with less enthusiasm. Part of the criticism the band received for this album was that it was felt that the band was becoming too ‘cartoonish’, a reference to the stage wear the band wore during gigs, and that many of their songs were written around novels and comic books. Some of that seems misplaced, as the band had tackled some serious issues in a couple of songs from that album.
Heading into their follow up album, there was a lot going on around the band that perhaps led to a slight change in their lyrical and musical direction. The band returned to the studio in late 1989, surrounded in the turmoil of several on going issues. The first was that guitarist Scott Ian was in the process having divorced his first wife during this process, something that is rarely pleasant and now doubt affected his mental state and mood during the writing and recording of the album. Then in late January 1990 a fire in the complex where their studio was situated meant that they lost their rehearsal room along with up to $100,000 worth of equipment, not something that could be replaced quickly or easily. On top of this, it was later revealed that the band had begun having talks of working with a new lead singer, something that their current lead singer Joey Belladonna was kept in the dark about. There was quite an age difference between Belladonna and the rest of the band, and the differences in their pastimes and listening material were said to be a part of why this discussion took place. All of this swirled around the band as they spent more than three months composing and recording what would be their fifth studio album, one that did indeed have a change of tone about it. But would these changes, the maturing of the band’s songwriting to have a bigger focus on the world around them, not only appease their critics but their fan base as a whole?

The increasing ticking of a clock to start to "Time", followed by the frantic guitars and timing-perfect drums is the perfect start to the album, combining all of the best parts of Anthrax's music. Charlie Benante’s drumming on this song from the outset is outstanding, that metronomic-like double kick is amazing alongside everything he is doing on his snare and toms up top. Joey Belladonna’s vocals are precision perfect with the exact right amount of phrasing and emotional kick as the lyrics dictate it is required. Frank Bello on bass combines timing perfect with Charlie throughout, leaving Scott Ian and Dan Spitz to rail over the top. The lyrics speak of life and death, and how time may be an enemy if you let it. There are so many superb lines in this song, but just a piece here is: “Life and death as words they don't mean shit, It's what you do with them and how you live with it, Raging like a bull inside a cage, Just give me a stage where this bull can rage”. This is a truly wonderful start to the album, one of their very best. The opening track segues straight into the follow up in “Blood”, another with Charlie’s opening drumbeat followed by the guitar riff. “Blood” has some great time changes throughout as Charlie mixes things up to mess with the tempo throughout. Lyrically it explores various stories within its different meanings, which may have been a result of the difficulties the band faced during the writing process. While it seems to concentrate mainly on wars, fighting each others brothers, there are lines that speak deeper of Scott’s mood at the time, such as “Misery can be so attractive, when making yourself happy is the only alternative, At the expense of someone else's life, Do it for yourself, damn it, do what's right”. “Keep It in the Family” speaks volumes about racism and prejudice that is handed down from parents to kids, with the kids only learning from what is behind their door and not from where ‘the real world is outside your door’. There’s no holding back in the lyrics here, some that are still far too close to home even 35 years later, such as: “Retribution, no solution, constitution, Discrimination through the nation
Raining hatred”. Sound familiar? It’s another great song on the album, where the topics have become darker and more socially aware. They mix slower heavier riffs with the faster and louder aspects. There is no doubt that this is not an out-and-out thrash album, something that some people are unable to get past. But it is damn heavy and still thought-provoking lyrically, and the maturity both lyrically and musically is a huge step up from their last album.
"In My World" returns the album to the upbeat tempo musically at which it performs its best, rollicking along once again and being driven by Charlie's rolling drumbeat and the flailing of the guitars, while Joey wails over top in fine form. Lyrically, 35 years ago, I would never have thought that I would be so in tune with what parts of this song are saying. It’s a different world, and I am generations older than i was when this was released. “But when you have lines that suggest “I just want my life to do whatever I like
Yeah, it's a selfish need to have no responsibility, So I'll say what I'm gonna say cos I'm going to Hell anyway, I'd rather be alone in my world”. Not in the way that the lyrics and song suggest, but my need to be out in the world has diminished over time, and these lyrics do strike a chord with me. Musically it is fabulously mature thrash metal, the changing tempo engineered by the rhythm section here is terrific, and lyrically it is extremely easy to sing along to with gusto. Another great track. On the back of this, "Gridlock" is the most thrash-like song on the first half of the album, even if it could be described, as I did with the previous track, as a 'mature' form of thrash. Joey stars again on this song, preaching from the stage on the judgements that others will place on you, those who are more interested in gossiping behind your back and tearing you down without confronting you directly. And it is so accurate, especially in workplaces, something I have found in the past, and this song is a perfect example of that kind of behaviour. The band leaves nothing in the tank when it comes to sprouting their vitriol over such practices, along with great riffing and soloing from Dan and Scott. This is a superb way of closing out the first side of the album, and you almost feel a state of exhaustion come over you as a result. It has been draining physically and emotionally from the outset.
The opening to side two of the album is perhaps the best example of the strides Anthrax had made in its writing and performing to this stage of their career. It opens with a snatch of conversation from the classic Twilight Zone episode from Series 3 called “Deaths-Head Revisited”, where the protagonist former commandant of a Dachau concentration camp in Nazi Germany, on visiting the camp 17 years later, insists “we did as we were told”, to which his ghostly companion Alfred Becker, whom he tortured while at the camp replies "They just heard you offer the apology for all the monsters of our times” and followed by an echo of laughter as the instrumental “Intro to Reality” begins. This is a wonderfully written and performed piece, three minutes of awesome riffing and melodic guitar with the bass and drums holding the song together underneath. It builds beautifully in a crescendo before crashing into the killer riff that then kicks in to Joey's spitting vocals that set the scene brilliantly, the segue straight into the beginning of “Belly of the Beast”, which then tells the story portrayed in “Deaths-Head Revisited” from the point of view of Alfred Becker, with Belladonna immediately sneering “You walk this earth without a heart, you tear the innocent souls apart, you shovel your conscience into the grave”. Lyrically this song is a wonderfully composed tome based on that Twilight Zone episode, conveying the horror of the time and of what is described in the episode both in the past and the then present. It is perfectly sung by Belladonna, spitting and incredulous in the same instant. It is the basis of what this album was all about, combining the instances of time throughout, and still delivering a message. It is probably still the highlight of the album for me.
This is followed by the sensational cover of Joe Jackson's "Got the Time", which not only ties in nicely with the album title but rifles along at that thrash speed everyone can enjoy. This is a ripping song, pulled off perfectly by the entire band. Frankie Bello’s bassline is the star attraction here, being front and centre throughout the song, and it sounds like the band is having a lot of fun playing it.
The remainder of the album continues on the angry side of angry. "H8 Red" is another song that seems to be an example of how Scott Ian was facing his difficulties at the time. Lyrically it isn’t set upon that, it incorporates the usual mix of topics that Anthrax throw at you during this album, but there seem to be some pointedly noticeable lyrics that can easily be interpreted as having come from a realistic argument. Beyond that, it is another great song. I love the way the vocals and backing come together on this song and the drums and guitar riffs flood together in a perfect tidal wave of aggression. More of the same follows with "One Man Stands" and "Discharge". All three final songs use 'hate' and 'lie' as a major theme in the lyrics, and the anger inherent in the music and lyrics continues the theme of the album.

19-freaking-90. That is a very long time ago. I was 20 years old, going on 21, with a job that did little else but earn me money to do what I wanted to do, a close group of friends and no romantic attachments. Seems like the perfect life, doesn’t it? And for much of it, it pretty much was.
The memories of this album are still enormous. Anthrax had never toured Australia before, and they began their “Persistence of Time” tour in New Zealand and Australia. This album was only released 9 days before the concert where I saw them. They had played New Zealand and flown into Sydney, where they had an instore appearance at Utopia Records, where they would sign stuff if you’d made a purchase that day. I bought the CD and the vinyl, and then got both signed by the whole band, as well as getting a drumstick signed by Charlie (I had just taken up the drums about a year earlier). I still have the signed CD and drumstick. The vinyl was unfortunately lost in the flood of 2001, a sad day for music in the Peters household. Five days later we saw Anthrax live for the first time. I had had five days to try and suck this album into my conscious, and I did a pretty good job of it overall. It probably wasn’t the perfect way to see the band. I would love to have had more time to really know the album, like I do now. But it didn’t detract from the magnificence of that night.
The album got stuck in my rotation. It along with three other albums that were released around this time became the ones that were replayed over and over on a constant loop. And this lost nothing compared to those others either. This was not a new Anthrax, but it felt like it was a more focused Anthrax. Every song here is pivotal to the rest of the album. The topics covered are hard core, stretching from war to race to anxiety to anger and back again. The music is just brilliantly heavy and dark, magnified by the topics covered and creating a wonderful whole picture throughout.
All combatants are at the top of their game here. Joey Belladonna's vocals are just perfect, especially in songs such as "Time" and "Belly of the Beast" where a bit of attitude is necessary. Frankie Bello's bass work is terrific again, especially in the bass players' handbook song of "Got the Time". Dan Spitz and Scott Ian's duel guitar riffing is tight and complete, revelling in the speed and heavy chunk that proliferates this album, while Charlie Benante's drumming is as superb as always, the masterful timing and precision of his playing is a joy to behold, and it is pretty much the star turn on this album.
I have had this album out and on again for almost two weeks now. I could easily have it out for another month or so. I just don’t ever get tired of this album. Everything about it is quite superb. If I haven’t listened to this 20 times from start to finish in that time period then I am a bad judge. I’ve been air drumming and singing along loudly for that whole time. Is it their best album? It’s close. Is it my favourite Anthrax album? If you made me choose, then yes it probably is.
1990 was a pretty big year in music. Megadeth had found their masterpiece, Judas Priest had rediscovered their killer instinct, Slayer had maintained their rage while still finding a broader fan base. There's no doubt that in this metal landscape, “Persistence of Time” more than held its own, and kept Anthrax on the top shelf of metal bands heading into the new decade. 35 years later and it still sounds pretty bloody awesome.

896. Yngwie J. Malmsteen / Perpetual Flame. 2008. 4/5

When I first heard that Tim Owens was going to be the lead vocalist on the new Yngwie Malmsteen album, it was the most excited I had been about a new Yngwie album since the release of Odyssey way back in 1988. I mean, how could it miss? Yngwie's guitaring and Ripper's amazing vocals? It had to be a win-win situation.
Of course, in most circumstances when I think things like this I am dreadfully disappointed in the long run.

Once again the album is a mix of songs with vocals and straight instrumentals. The instrumentals on this album are on a par as in recent times for Yngwie. As has started to become a regular thing, Yngwie plays all of the lead and rhythm guitars as well as the bass guitar on all tracks, as well as additional keyboards, also wrote and composed all of the tracks on the album. So, in essence, with the instrumental tracks, it is all Yngwie. So judge the material on the back of one man's effort and ability. As is almost always the case with this man, these are just fantastic. "Caprici di Diablo" is followed on the album by "Lament", with both instrumentals clocking in at four and a half minutes. "Caprici di Diablo" is the faster paced of the two, while "Lament" has that extra emotion played into it with a melancholy pace. "Heavy Heart" is an almost epic finale to the album, featuring the best of the undercurrent rhythm while Yngwie layers his guitars over the top in a cavalcade of crushing riffs and runs.
The album opens with a fierce flurry on the guitars and the predictable and punishing Ripper scream to start the album off on the right foot. "Death Dealer" and "Damnation Game" both rip along at the best Yngwie speed, rifling guitar matched by the keyboards and hard hitting drums. Live to Fight (Another Day) slows the tempo back to a slower, heavier undertone, allowing Ripper to wax lyrical over the top of the grunging beat in duality. "Red Devil" is saved from the average by Yngwie's solo break which is the highlight of the song. "Four Horsemen (of the Apocalypse)", "Priest of the Unholy" and "Careful What You Wish For" are all excellent combinations of Ripper's vocals and Yngwie's amazing guitar sound.
Just to mix things up, "Magic City" has only Yngwie providing lead and backing vocals on a lengthy 7+ minute track. The change in vocals is absolute. Not that there is anything wrong with Yngwie's singing, but it is a stark difference form the powerhouse that is Tim "Ripper" Owens. "Eleventh Hour" sees the return of Ripper to the microphone, before the concluding "Heavy Heart" puts a close on the album.
Is there a down side? If I was to be nit-picking, Ripper's vocals all seem to be on the one wave length. There is not the variety that he is capable of in both pitch and depth of character. For the most part of the album he retains a similar disposition, which could well be because of the way the songs were written rather than his personal preference. Everything still sounds brilliant, but perhaps a bit of variety in the vocals would have improved things even more. Like I said, nit-picking.

Overall it is another terrific album from Yngwie and his dwindling support staff. His return to form after a lacklustre decade during the 1990's is a welcome one. While he has had a number of people performing vocals for him throughout his career, Ripper also bring back a power to this side of the material that is both welcome and challenging.

Rating:  "Now the demon is here again, vengeance is burning in my soul".  4/5

895. Five Finger Death Punch / The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell Volume 1. 2013. 2.5/5

Prior to the Soundwave Festival in 2014 I started researching the bands of whom I had little to no knowledge, and checked out their music in an attempt to decide who I was going to see and who I could safely avoid. Five Finger Death Punch was one of those bands, and had conveniently released two albums during 2013, allowing me to get an up to date perspective on a band that I had heard nothing about to that point in time. This was the first of those, and the second was the following Volume 2. While I didn't have a lot of time before the Festival to digest the album, I found enough to make me interested enough to follow them up on the day, and their live show was excellent, and they continued to pique my interest without ever really grabbing it completely.

Fast forward two years, and my thoughts haven't changed a great deal since that time. The style of metal that Five Finger Death Punch play is not in the main region of my listening pleasure. At times they fall terrifyingly close to a Nickelback theme, which always makes me doubt what I see in any of their music. At times they sound like they are trying to do a Fozzy cover, but surely that would be just plain silly.

"Diary of a Deadman" is a really strange way to end an album that has completely mixed its style so much that its hard to find a point at which you can like the whole shebang. It feels as though it wants to be a ballad again, but between the quiet spoken vocal pieces and the loud drum and riffing sections that then lead us back to the hardcore vocals it just can't make up its mind, and thus I am left in a quandary as to whether I like it or not. I probably don't. The title track is in the same boat, a hardcore ballad that tries its hand at winning over those kind of fans. Like most of the songs here this isn't terrible, but it lacks something that can drag it above the average.

"M.I.N.E (End This Way)" is one of those songs here that delves into the Nickelback arena, a dangerous path for any band to cross given the polar opposites of most people's feelings about that band's music. There must be people out there who like this kind of stuff. I do not.

The obvious fan favourite is the opening track "Lift Me Up", which includes guest vocals from Rob Halford. Always a nice way to gain some promotion amongst the heavy metal community. It has the right energy and structure to be a flag bearer for the album. If the whole album was like this it would be closer to a winning situation, but that is not the case. "I.M.Sin" is perhaps the only other song that comes within cooee of standing on its own, "Dot Your Eyes" would probably be fine except it does sound as though Ivan Moody is trying a bit too hard on vocals.

When I saw the band live I enjoyed their show, I enjoyed their set and though it didn't reach out and grab me like other bands did on that day I felt as though there was something on offer. Repeated listenings to this album has left me more disappointed than disavowed. Perhaps in the long run they just aren't for me after all.
Rating: "I'm gonna change history". 2.5/5.

894. Yngwie J. Malmsteen / Trilogy. 1986. 4.5/5

Whether you love him or hate him, there is no denying the fact that Yngwie Malmsteen is an absolute freak on the guitar. While many who admire this fact are also vocal about the mainstream way Yngwie approached his career, citing that looked for a commercial bent in his song writing to reflect an ambition beyond just being a superb guitar player, I can only say that, for the first few albums of his career at least, I loved every single aspect of it.

Trilogy continues along the same path that was started with Marching Out. Instrumental pieces featuring Yngwie's amazing talent are mixed with fully fledged songs that combine lyrics with guitar and keyboard solos all structure within the fabric of the tracks. Some suggested they had a commercial bent. I prefer to describe them as catchy pieces with simplified lyrics. None of the songs here have the slightly more complicated story-telling tales that accompanied the tracks on the previous album. They are simple, and designed one would suggest for the sing-along aspect that they actually encourage.
For the most part this album isn't as furious as Marching Out, but it is no less enjoyable. New vocalist Mark Boals has an impressive set of pipes on him, and the music almost feels as though it has been put in that mid-tempo range to allow him to croon over the top and not feel rushed. The major tracks such as "You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget" and "Queen in Love" use this to their advantage. They aren't fast, but Boals uses his range to deftly create the mood of the song, which is then replicated during Yngwie's guitar solo break. "Dark Ages" is a slower and darker mood than these songs, but uses similar techniques.
The faster tracks such as "Liar" and "Fury" enhance the upbeat tempo by being fuelled by the double kick drum of Anders Johansson throughout the length of the song, which again is replicated by a faster paced fretboard action from Yngwie during his break. His duelled solos with Jens Johansson's keyboards generate the highlight of these songs, a nice touch that is a hallmark of most of the best Yngwie Malmsteen songs. "Fire" is probably the heaviest song on the album, using conventional drumming but with a heavier emphasis on the guitars and vocals. "Magic Mirror" is a more power metal styled faster paced song again.
As will always be the case with Yngwie, he still has his instrumental pieces, where he can structure his guitar to maximise its exposure while the rest of the instruments are generally there to enhance rather than take centre stage. "Crying" is a good example of this, while the closing track "Trilogy Suite Op: 5" showcases the best that he has to offer.

Yngwie Malmsteen is a wonderful guitarist, and more than handy on just about every other instrument as well. He once again takes on all roles here apart from the Johansson brothers on keyboards and drums. Mark Boals brought a less frenetic style of vocals to the album, which is probably also reflected in the music itself. I still love this album, and think it is a great testament to Yngwie's talent and the growing European power metal sound that this was a forerunner to.

Rating:   "I now will tell you all a story, that no one ever heard before".  4.5/5

893. Iron Maiden / Virus [Single]. 1996. 5/5

I understand why people had a natural aversion to Blaze Bayley and by association Iron Maiden when he replaced Bruce Dickinson as lead vocalist of the band in the 1990's. But really, if those same people had given the two albums that were released during this period the time of day, they would have discovered some pretty good material.

This single came out when Maiden released their first (but somewhat sadly not last) greatest hits package, Best of the Beast. The double disc version took two songs from each album released to that time, and a couple of other songs. As a sweetener, a new song was also produced, which led off the greatest hits package and was released as this single.
"Virus" would be one of the best Maiden songs ever, if only they had abandoned the first two minutes and twenty seconds of the song, and even the last 30 seconds. The "short" version of the song that can be found on certain versions is actually the best version of the song, as it does exactly that, removing the useless first part of the track. I love this song, and I love Blaze's vocals on it.
The other two songs are the original tracks that were found on the Metal for Muthas album from 1979. These versions of "Sanctuary" and "Wrathchild" both feature Tony Parsons on guitar, a treat for the die hard fans, but perhaps not so exciting for those that just want to listen to the band and not care about its history.

Rating: "Without a conscience they destroy, and that's thing that they enjoy". 5/5

892. Judas Priest / Turbo. 1986. 4/5

On the back of their albums “Screaming for Vengeance” and “Defenders of the Faith”, and having concluded their world tour titled the Metal Conqueror World Tour to promote the Defenders album, Judas Priest did not schedule any live shows for the entire year of 1985, which was their first ever extended hiatus from touring and recording. After 11 years of releasing nine albums and a live album and touring consistently between them, it was time to take a little rest. They did however make one live appearance in 1985, that being at Live Aid at the Philadelphia concert, taking the stage after Crosby, Stills & Nash and before Bryan Adams, and performing the songs “Living After Midnight”, “The Green Manalishi” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming”. Beyond this, it was a year of rest, relaxation and contemplation.
This year of contemplation led to greater temptation for lead singer Rob Halford. Already struggling with increased substance and alcohol abuse, the year off performing saw his life spiralling, with increasing violent feuds and altercations with his partner at the time, which then led to him going even harder with his addictions. The suicide of his partner late in 1985 not only brought him heartache but the realisation that if he continued in the direction he was heading, he would soon probably die of his own addictions. This led him to resolve to get clean, and he went into rehab where he spent a month in December 1985 and January 1986, coming out with a clear head and a new determination. Halford has since said in interviews that his struggle with the secrecy of his sexuality was affecting him, causing him to fall into depression and fuelling his addictions. Since this time, Halford has been clean and sober.
When it came time to begin writing for the new album, the band had decided that on the back of the success of their previous two albums, that this follow up would be a double album titled “Twin Turbos”, half of which would be of a more commercial sound, and the other half which would be more aggressive in their traditional heavy metal style. Eventually, this idea was scrapped, whether due to the demands of their record label or the decision of the band itself. Several stories and sources through the years have suggested both sides. The material that was written was split up, notionally seeing the more commercial songs appearing on what would become “Turbo”, and the other becoming the starting point for the following album which would become “Ram it Down”. Other songs from this writing period eventually turned up on CD reissues of earlier albums, which not only makes it difficult to judge those songs of that time period, but realistically has missed a trick in reissuing them as a single bonus CD.
It is somewhat remarkable just how maligned this album is in the core of the Judas Priest discography. Trying to follow up the brilliant “Defenders of the Faith” album would be no mean feat. And It was another of those defining times in the history of the metal genre, with a split between the fast and raucous thrash metal element that had begun its climb into the persona, and the glam and hair metal element that was not only drawing in the makeup and fashion styles but bringing that 1980's staple, the keyboard synthesiser, into many bands' curricular as a progression in their music. Any change to a band’s output was often confused for being a sell out. Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing both use guitar synthesisers on this album, a move that has been debated furiously on the album’s release and in the years since, and was followed by Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Steve Harris on Iron Maiden’s 1986 album “Somewhere in Time”. It was a changing world, and experimentation was coming from those bands who had previously steadfastly stuck to their twin guitar expressions. And it was within these changes that Judas Priest put their foot forward and came out swinging with their own advances on their traditional style of metal with the release of the album “Turbo”.

While on the surface there may appear to be a change in the style of the heavy metal genre played here, the usual Judas Priest elements are all to the fore - the solid rhythm section of Dave Holland on drums and Ian Hill on bass guitar, the twin guitar attack of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton, and the vocal talents of Rob Halford. You can agreeably argue that the immediate heaviness of the music is not as prevalent as it had been on recent albums, and that the songs have a more mainstream feel about them partially due to the synths being used, but also due to the style these songs were being composed as a part of the initial “Twin Turbos” package. All of those things are accurate. One of the best examples of this change is for the song "Parental Guidance". It can be debated that its simplicity in structure both musically and lyrically is a come down from what truly set Judas Priest apart from the pack. In many ways “Parental Guidance” can be compared to the song “Breaking the Law”. Both songs are similarly structured with their simple verses and singalong choruses, the addition of a guitar solo to match, and looking for an anthemic quality to the song overall. And yet the difference between the two is significant. Because “Breaking the Law”, for all of the fatigue fans may have of it over its 45 year history, is still one that every fan loves and sings along to and plays air guitar to every time they hear it. It HAS that anthemic quality. And it speaks to the kids, who are down and are looking to rebel. “Parental Guidance”, which lyrically references the PMRC and their placing of the band’s song “Eat Me Alive” on their ‘Filthy 15’ list, doesn’t have the same great energy and fist pumping qualities of the other track. The rhythm and tempo are dialled back and sung in a much less frantic way. The solos from both Tipton and Downing are great, but the rest of the track is just a steady unchanging rhythm, and easy listening protest song that doesn’t raise to any great heights. The topic could easily have engendered a fiercer output of the topic, which would probably have improved the song no end.
The sister track to “Parental Guidance” is “Private Property”, a song that travels a similar track and trap musically, while being up front lyrically about the antagonist of the song keeping their distance in trying to move in forcefully on the protagonist. It’s a simple base rhythm line, settled in that mid-tempo that doesn’t engender any great passion from the chest. With the excess speed ripped out of the songs, it needs something to really bring it to your notice and draw a response from the listener. Once again, the solo from Tipton adds a small slice of something, but it is very little. The addition of the backing vocals in the chorus to try and make it an anthemic line really doesn’t work. At least, not in the studio setting.
Slipping into the following phase of the album, we have the songs that come out of the speakers more energetically, more fully charged in tempo and in output, that give you a better taste of the old Judas Priest with an updated modern sound. “Rock You All Around the World” which closes out the first side of the album and “Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days” which is the second song of the B side, both have similar lyrical output and subject matter. “Rock You All Around the World” is the band’s war cry, the advertisement of their music and their drawing power, and the anthemic cry of the title of the song. Halford has written lyrics like this before, but perhaps not as straight forward as these ones are. Meanwhile “Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days” lyrically follows similar themes but tends towards the desire to put work behind and head off to wild times as portrayed in teenage holiday films everywhere. It should be noted that in later years, Halford admitted that his lyric writing on the “Turbo” album was ‘subpar’. These two songs are simplistic in the lyrical content, but musically at least are a bit more entertaining. They attempt to be anthemic in the style of “Living After Midnight”, and for some perhaps they are much like that.
The opening song of the album, the more-or-less title track “Turbo Lover”, was the first single from the album, and had the video of the song played everywhere on its release. It offered up the first taste of the band’s synth use for this album, one that brought about an engaging and separating force upon the song and album. Not only that, it did set the tempo for the new opus. The synth mirroring the motorcycle sound, the fabulous building of the song from its beginnings with Halford’s vocals soft and low, the rhythm of drums and bass, with slight interjection of the synth. Then Rob goes louder and harder, and the guitar riff arrives, and the final burst into the chorus. And then, better yet, the rush and ride into the second phase, crashing out of the chorus with that hard drum beat and guitar, and Halford rises further again. Hey – you know the song, everybody does. It is the standout song from the album. And even on a polarising album it stands tall in the Judas Priest song catalogue. “Locked In” is a great follow up, once again maximising the guitar synths to obliterate thoughts of previously heavy metal Priest albums. But Halford’s vocals rise to a higher tier and drive the song through the barriers presented. The lyrics – yeah, okay, a bit naff really, trying to be the hard rock love song – do really stretch the ability of the fan to stick with them, and sing along. The pre-chorus into the chorus of: “You've got the key, the key to my heart, go ahead and use it, Drag me in—slam the door, Then I'll be yours, for evermore, You've got me locked in, Locked inside your love”. I mean, that’s pretty hard to get on board with when it comes to singing the song. But yeah, I still do it. And musically it is a great tempo and the guitars from Tipton and Downing and terrific.
As for the other end of the album, both tracks are solid enough. "Hot For Love" sounds great, the underlying guitar riff itself drives the song along nicely but just tends to get a bit repetitive in the chorus line to fully enjoy it more than the average. The opening stanza of guitar riff mood is fabulous, and the great dual guitar solo section through the middle is also terrific. Musically? Great. But those lyrics again. Really. It’s like having a bad hair day listening to some of these. Take just the first verse. “Twenty-four hours of the day, You're on my trail, and I can't get away, I can't shake you off, you're a wolf on the prowl, You got my scent and I can hear you howl”. Oh my. That is some D-Grade Motley Crue or Poison level stuff right there. Musically it’s fine, but lyrically it is a tough ride. And the concluding song of the album, “Reckless”, is a bit better – but only because I can’t really tell exactly what it is the lyrics are invoking. “I’m feeling reckless, way out of hand, real survivor, reckless, Coming at gale force ten”. I mean, I could take a guess at what is being suggested here, but I think perhaps it is better if I don’t think about it. Again, musically it is okay, and the guitars and solo pieces showcase the fact it is Judas Priest.
That leaves the opening track of the B side to discuss. The mood setting of “Out in the Cold” is exceptional. It builds in the same way as “Turbo Lover” does, the opening synth bringing in the drums until the 1.30 minute mark where it climbs into its work. The subtle pulling back as Halford’s vocals begin, and then the wonderful dropping of tone as Halford sings ‘Where are you now, the fears are coming back to me once again”, rising into the chorus. This is another of the very heavy guitar synth songs on the album, the ones that offer a major turning point that this album offers. But here on “Out in the Cold” the atmosphere that it creates makes for that creepy moody track that actually creates something truly special. Lyrically it feels very much sounds like it is Rob talking about his relationship at the time through the song, and that slight stretch of emotion adds to the whole theatre of the track.

I do love the “Twin Turbos” idea, the concept of the two halves of the double album, and the ability to explore two styles of the metal genre that were butting against each other back in 1986. I liked the idea so much that eventually I burned myself a second disc (remember the days of doing that?) for my “Turbo” album that includes all of the songs written for that original idea that have since been released on other albums. Would it have worked at the time? It is difficult to judge from this far in the future, because four of those songs - “Ram it Down”, “Hard as Iron”, “Love You to Death” and “Monsters of Rock” - all appeared on the following album “Ram it Down”, and no doubt a couple of the songs on this album would have switched sides.
Apart from seeing “Turbo Lover” and “Locked In” on the music video shows of the day and age, my first experience of many of the songs off this album came via the following live album “Priest... Live” which was released the following year in 1987. On that double live album, I heard “Out in the Cold”, “Private Property”, “Turbo Lover”, “Rock You All Around the World” and “Parental Guidance” before I knew the studio versions. And those songs all sound better on that album in the live environment than they do on the studio album – which, as I do say on every live album I review on this podcast, they SHOULD! Because that is their natural environment. So much so that when I first heard this album it was a slight disappointment, mainly I would suggest because of the slightly dropped tempo compared to the live versions, and the slightly lowered energy levels of the tracks listed.
Looking back at the time I first got a copy of this album, I in no way had any thoughts about the ... lack of quality... of the lyrics. Didn’t really give a rat's arse about them to be honest. I was fully focused on the songs as music and how much I enjoyed that aspect, while still singing the songs at the top of my voice as words and not as lyrics written for a purpose (or lack thereof). The album was of its time both musically and lyrically, and for me suited my love of the heavy metal genre and its assorted offshoots. I just... loved... the album!
The question you may be asking yourself now is has that love changed over the years? Look, I won’t lie to you. I have a bias to Judas Priest and their music, and more than anything else the Judas Priest albums of the 1980’s, because that was where ALL of my teenage years were lived out, and where the music tended to merge with memories of my life such that a memory will trigger a song or album, and the reverse is true as well. This album came out in my final two years of high school, a time where apart from hopefully working scholastically hard enough to get through our final exams, we had a lot of get togethers and overnight parties and all the things 17 and 18 year old kids did together. And to me at least, the one thing that “Turbo” is... is a party album. Great fun tunes with upbeat musical qualities, some great solos to air guitar along to, easy to learn lyrics to sing along to with choruses meant to be sung in a group of like minded kids, all at high velocity volume while drinking beer and laughing and having a great time. That is what “Turbo” is to me.
In listening to the album this week for this episode, it is another one where I needed to get my thoughts in order and hopefully offer the two sides of what makes music so important. Firstly the honest appraisal of what I hear on the album, and be able to express that for what it is. In the case of this album, the gamble the band has taken musically, and also the overall massive fail when it comes to the lyrical content of the majority of the songs, the almost slight immaturity of it all. The walk down the path of the sleaze rock bands and their song lyrics compared to what they had produced in the past. And secondly, how I feel about the album both on its release and now, in how I enjoy the album despite what I may also think about it when breaking it down to its core pieces. And in the case of this album today – I still love it. And yes, I can hear our good friends Jeff and Jay from the amazing and brilliant Judas Priestcast screaming at me in cyberspace as I speak – screaming for vengeance, if you will – but there you have it. I still love listening to this album. It will never stop me remembering those days at the end of high school, those Wild Nights and Hot & Crazy Days, being Reckless, getting Locked In, trespassing on Private Property and rebelling against Parental Guidance, and feeling like I’m Out in the Cold. Fun times. But more importantly, songs that I still love to listen to and sing along to.
Yes. I love “Turbo Lover” and “Locked In” as the opening two tracks. Superb. “Rock You All Around the World” is just a great anthemic quality. “Out in the Cold” is mesmerising, the forerunner to “A Touch of Evil” a few years later. And the whole mood and bassline and guitar riffs of “Hot for Love” ... awful lyrics, but musically just a fabulous song.
“Turbo” is where Judas Priest decided to mix things up a little. Retrospectively it has been criticised and somewhat pummelled in some quarters, and if you shine a light on certain aspects of the album that can be seen to be justified. For me, as has been the case for most of my music loving and listening life, I can accept some form of mediocrity if the other pieces stand up. For me, that’s where I stand with “Turbo”. It might not be groundbreaking in the way some of their earlier albums – and as it turns out, some of their latter albums – happened to be so, but for me, I will always be Hot for Love for this album.