Billy Joel - The Stranger: 30th Anniversary [Limited Edition] (Deluxe Boxed Set - 2 CDs + 1 DVD)
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Free Music Notes for The Stranger: 30th Anniversary [Limited Edition] (Deluxe Boxed Set - 2 CDs + 1 DVD)
Free Music Review: Billy's Breakthrough Albums Is Payed A Fitting Anniversary Tribute.
Hit: 5 Stars
In 1978, Billy Joel became a household name with his fifth album of original material, "The Stranger." After struggling for years, during which he developed an underground following opening for acts such as The Beach Boys and Stevie Wonder. With "The Stranger," Billy broke into the mainstream, sending four now classic singles into the Top 40 ("Just The Way You Are," "Movin' Out," "She's Always A Woman," "Only The Good Die Young" and instantly becoming the biggest solo rock artist since Elton John, winning two Grammys and launching a hugely successful world tour in support of the album, and managing to sustain a hugely successful career that has lasted right up to today.
Now, 30 years later and 100 million albums later, the album has now been digitally remastered and comes with a bonus cd and dvd. The remastering job for this cd is excellent. The songs on this edition sound better than ever. Billy's voice and his piano playing on this album sound clearer and sharper. Liberty DeVito's drumming resonates with more power than ever on "Movin' Out" and "The Stranger," and rest of the album sounds equally good. The songs are just as good as they were 30 years ago, beautifully written compositions evoking pure Americana and traditional New York life. "Only The Good Die Young" still bristles with youthful abandonment and "Just The Way You Are" still holds the same sugar-sweet romanticism that made it the song of the year at the 1978 Grammys. And "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" remains a seminal rock epic, a three part tune that represents songwriting at is finest. Of the two lesser known tracks, the rollicking "Get It Right The First Time" and the Ray Charles inspired "Everybody Has A Dream," both hold up well against the more well known numbers (seven out of the nine tracks became rock radio staples).
The bonus cd is a (truncated) recording of Billy's 1977 Carnegie Hall concert. This is a fantastic show, though incomplete of, Billy in his prime, and he proves even then that he was just as dynamic and exciting onstage as he was in the studio. Highlights include explosive performances of "Miami 2017," "Angry Young Man," and "Captain Jack." The sound quality is once again excellent.
The third disc is a dvd of Billy's appearance on the British music show The Old Grey Whistle Test. It's an excellent performance and Billy is on fire throughout. It also features two promo videos and 30th Anniversary documentary.
The packaging and accompanying booklet are exellent, and this classic album is a total must for all.
Free Music Review: This is one for the collectors!
Hit: 5 Stars
This new boxed set is released to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Billy Joel's breakthrough album "The Stranger". The album, originally released in 1977, made Billy Joel a household name. To celebrate the 30th anniversary Columbia has put together a nice set. The first disc is the original album, the second disc is a live recording from his sold out Carniege Hall shows in June of '77. Aside from the pristine sound on this disc, what's interesting is to hear him introduce two of the songs from "The Stranger" that would become classics but at the time were unknown to audiences. "Just The Way You Are", in a slightly different arrangement receives only a smattering of applause at the intro, while "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" which is a huge concert favorite today receives almost no applause at the introduction. Overall it's a really great show.
The DVD includes two live promotional videos for "The Stranger" and "Just The Way You Are", a half hour documentary about the making of the album with recent interviews from both Billy and album producer Phil Ramone. Among other things you learn that the sax solo in "Just The Way You Are" is a combination of several solos that Ramone spliced together so that it was seamless. Also on the DVD is an additional one hour concert from England.
Depending on where you pick this set up, you will also get a bonus disc. If you get it at Best Buy it has five live tracks recorded in December of 1977 at Nassau Colliseum, if you get it at Target you get a DVD with live videos from previously released collections.
Finally the set also includes a replica of the Sold Out poster for Carniege Hall, a book about the album loaded with unseen photos and memorbilia all on glossy pages. The coolest thing though is a replica of Billy's lyric notebook for "The Stranger" with his handwritten lyrics and notes about the album. You even get the grease stains on the pages!!!
A very cool set, but one for diehard collectors. For the casual fan pick up the 2 disc set that contains just the original album and live Carniege Hall disc.
Free Music Review: A "must" for Piano Man fans
Hit: 5 Stars
I've owned The Stranger album in every format it was ever sold (except maybe for 8-Track!), but this was the best purchase ever. Yes, the album is the same. But the Carnegie Hall performance CD is worth the purchase price all by itself! It's cool to hear a young BJ having fun with the audience (and poking fun at the Carnegie Hall management!). You can almost see everybody in their '70s gear just having an incredible time with another rebel on the stage.
But the most profound part of this CD was when Billy introduces a 'new' song called "Just The Way You Are". It was freaky to NOT hear the audience break out in a roar at the announcement of that song! It's been voted the best love song of all time (and it really is... the title itself is the ultimate definition of unconditional love), and here is Joel performing it for one of the first times ever.
The accompanying DVD is an added treat, of course... watching that same young Billy Joel performing live on an old British variety show with his long hair and sporadic gestures enjoying what he loves and what we love to hear and see.
And then the replica of his handwritten "Stranger" song book... Unbelievable. It's got all his scratch-outs and corrections... it even has a replica of a grease stain from some food he dropped on one page!
This is the best Billy Joel compilation I've ever purchased.
And I'm pretty sure I've bought 'em all...
Free Music Review: Happy 30th Birthday "Stranger"!
Hit: 5 Stars
Billy Joel's 1977 mega-selling breakthrough "The Stranger" gets the the big birthday box treatment on this 2-CDs +1 DVD(please note:only Best-Buy sells the third CD) with a fantastic remastering of the original album,which surpasses the original 1980's CBS disc and the 1998 remaster easily;a second disc featuring a June 3,1977 performance at the lengendary Carnegie Hall containing an excellent takes of "Prelude/Angry Young Man","Captain Jack","Say Goodbye To Hollywood" and the two then-unreleased songs "Just The Way You Are",which is different from the studio version,and "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant".The DVD contains the March 14th,1978 BBC 1 TV "Old Grey Whistle Test" concert which is also quite stellar with good picture and sound,live promo videos of "The Stranger" and "Just The Way You Are" and a interesting new 30-minute documentary on the making of this landmark album.If that wasn't enough,there's a stylish 48-page booklet containing a fine essay by writer David Fricke,lyrics and cool montages of period photos and press clippings;a poster of the sold-out June 2,3&4 1977 stand at Carnegie Hall;and a diary(!).If you are(like me)a huge fan,this box is a must-have.If you are a casual fan,you can go for cheaper The Stranger: 30th Anniversary [Legacy Edition] - 2 CD Set.Either way you're in for a real treat!Free Music Review: A classic album receives a proper celebration
Hit: 5 Stars
There are some albums that appear to be instant classics as soon as they are released. In 1978 "The Stranger" was everywhere. Living on Long Island in a town very close to Hicksville Billy Joel seemed more like an older brother to all of my friends and family than a rock star. The music of The Stranger was all over the radio, playing inside of every house I visted, including my own, and playing overhead wherever I went.
I have always been amazed at the fact that every song on this album is a classic song. Listening to the re mastered version you will quickly hear how poor the orignal CD release of The Stranger was treated.
The best part of this package is the Live CD of the Carnegie Hall concert. It is simply the best live recording of Billy Joel that i have ever heard and no fan of Billy Joel should be without it. In fact, for the Billy Joel doubters out there, i suggest listening to this Carnegie Hall concert and questioning your doubting selves about how special his talents truly are.
Any show taken from The Old Grey Whistle Test is bound to be special and the DVD, while short, is a nice look back at Billy and the band when they had full heads of hair and lots of rock and roll charisma. All in all a nice package in which i can say for once, i do not feel like a ripped off consumer.