dopple's Full Review: The Essential Billy Joel [Limited] by Billy Joel
While hits and 'best-of' compilations are nothing new to the music industry, since the millenium, each label has begun putting out 'best of' series for their top-name artists. MCA had their 20th Century Masters series, which chronicled artists like Andy Gibb and the Villiage People. And Columbia kicked off their own, 'The Essential...' series, in 2000 with mainstays like Bob Dylan and Miles Davis.
Well, presumedly to accompany his new classical music album, Columbia decided to put out one of these double-disc sets for pop rock idol Billy Joel.
Theres no reason for it. Joel has already had more than enough compilations summing up his lengthy pop career. Greatest Hits Volumes 1, 2 & 3, Complete Hits collection 1974-1997, The Ultimate Collection, and even an imported 'Best of Billy Joel' CD from Europe. Seeing as he hasn't released anything new since those have come out (until the classical album just this year), they all cover pretty much the same material, and have done the job fine.
But now we have this. Columbia's track record on these 'Essential' sets is shaky - they serve as decent enough introductions to the artist's work, but never provide all or even most of the tunes one would consider essential. Dylan's, for instance, left off some of his most neccessary tunes. And the same carries over to Joel's collection...
First of all, a few odd choices at the beggining. Joel's first few albums, after Piano Man, were devoid of hits until he hit his stride in 1977. But there were definite concert favorites from that time - but curiously the live staple & radio tune "Angry Young Man" is left off in favor of lesser tracks like "You're My home" and "Miami 2017". Once things shift to his breakthrough and oft-hailed finest album, The Stranger, it gets - well, stranger. Only four tunes from that album are included, which may seem reasonable until you get to Disc Two and see they included FIVE songs from the much lesser album, Storm Front. Not only that, but one of his most popular and accomplished songs - "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant", an epic that shows off all his strong points and indeed made his first Greatest hits album - is not here. Only two songs from his hit album Nylon Curtain are included, leaving off the record's third hit "Pressure". That's an understandable move though, because of time constraints, but would ould have made more sense if there weren't so many negligable inclusions.
Disc two is a sticky situation. It begins, oddly, with "Goodnight Siagon" - a modest hit and decent song, but weird way to start the disc. It then runs through the obvious suspects, like "Longest Time" and "Uptown Girl". A lot of focus is given to Storm Front, as I mentioned above. It wasn't a great album, though the selections here are fine. You also get the three singles from his last album, River of Dreams.
But for some reason, it ends with two songs from his recent classical piano effort, Fantasies & Delusions. This is senseless, because while they are written by Joel (and performed by painist Richard Joo), they are a completely different venture from his pop material. Variety is fine, but it's like ending a Bon Jovi compilation with two tracks of John whistling in the bathtub. Especially frustrating given the absense of a few hits and fan favorites from his earlier albums.
So as you can see, the Essential Billy Joel hardly lives up to it's title, and it is far less enjoyable than his Greatest Hits records. I recommend you go with those if you're looking for a concise summary of his pop period.
Featured Song: Piano Man 1. Piano Man Character Sketches/Barroom 5:38 2. You're My Home Love Song~Devotion~Comfort 3:13 3. Captain Jack Alienation~Dri...More at NBC Universal
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