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