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Amazon.co.uk Review
This, Billy Joel's breakthrough album, came years after he first made his mark with the novelty-ish "Piano Man". In the meantime, the New York-based songwriter released two lacklustre and stylistically confused platters that blunted interesting songs with a sound that was neither Elton mellow nor Elton attitude. Produced by Phil Ramone, The Stranger took those who had written Joel off as a one-hit wonder by surprise and it remains a solid introduction to Joel's restless muse at a crucial point in his career. It invited a few comparisons to Bruce Springsteen, with its prominent sax breaks, hard-edged rebel-rockers ("Only The Good Die Young") and slice-of-life dramatics ("Scenes From An Italian Restaurant"), recounting life in a lower middle-class setting; but Joel's chameleonic, formalist approach to pop wasn't to be so easily pigeonholed. --Don Harrison
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Stranger established Billy Joel as a star,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Stranger (Audio CD)
When it came out in 1977, The Stranger became Billy Joel's first very successful reaching no.2 in the album charts. It produced Record of the Year, "Just the Way You Are" and many other great songs. After all 6 songs from this album has gone to his greatest hits. The album is further enhanced by its ongoing theme of The Stranger with it's mysterious tune and epilogue. This is a fantastic album and I recommend it.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding album that made Billy famous,
By Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews (No. 1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER) (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Stranger (Audio CD)
Billy's career had been building gradually prior to the release of this album, but this album made him a major star in America, spawning four hit singles, two of which (Just the way you are, Moving out) also became British hits at the time while a third (She's always a woman) made the UK charts six years later. The other American hit (Only the good die young) didn't chart in Britain.Of all the hits, the standout track is Just the way you are, which was also a UK hit for Barry White less than a year after Billy's original made the UK top twenty. Many artists in several genres of music have covered Just the way you are, proving just how good the song is. Among the other tracks, there is a great story song - Scenes from an Italian restaurant. It lasts for over seven and a half minutes so it could never have been released as a single. Vienna, Get it right the first time, Everybody has a dream and the title track are all excellent album tracks. Although there are only nine tracks on this album, the playing time is over forty minutes and every song is brilliant. Among Billy's many excellent original albums, I rate this one as second only to An innocent man.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pop Perfection,
By KIRK (Durham, North East, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Stranger (Audio CD)
Musically, critically and commercially one of Billy Joel's finest albums 'The Stranger' has set standards of the popular song, it also shows a man very much on top form in the singer/songwriter category. With 'The Stranger' Joel has touched the pulse of pop perfection, and outcame such songs like 'Movin Out (Anthony's Song' - a fun narrative pop song with one of the most catchiest choruses I've ever heard. 'The Stranger' (a song on the album with the same name) - a dark funky rock song with an oriental guitar riff, not to mention the beautiful piano introduction. 'Just The Way You Are' - need I say no more.'Scenes From An Italian Restaurant' is one of Joels best written songs, jazz, rock and roll and romance all thrown into this pop epic. It is Joels 'Bohemian Rhapsody' if you like. 'Vienna' is tranquil and poignant and 'She's Always A Woman' empathises with any man who's ever been in love, a song of such beauty and significance. Melody, Harmony and Orchestration all have high standards and just pure enjoyment in this masterpiece. This is a must have for Billy Joel fans, but even if you don't particularly like his work this is an elagant addition to anyones collection. A true classic from the Piano Man
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