Word: joel
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LISTEN TO EVERY SONG on Billy Joel's new album exactly once. It's the most effective way for one-time or current fans of the Long Island pop star to purge any remaining faith they may have dutifully maintained in this man's music. The Nylon Curtain leaves no doubt: This once poignant chronicler of middle-class America has become a terribly frazzled music industry giant, offering a slick package with no redeemable contents...
...Billy Joel, in his ascent to unrivaled commercial success, never made us dance. In fact, as he carved out his comfy pop niche, he never made us do or feel much of anything. But on Piano Man, The Stranger and 52nd Street he described just enough familiar American experiences with enough pleasing, if not arresting music. We bought his albums and made him popular...
...albums, as simplistic, vacant songs replace textured and emotionally complicated ones. The sensitive perspective conveyed in songs like "Just the Way You Are" became blurred with hedonism and pretentiousness in "Sleeping With The Television On" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me." But in his latest effort. Joel confirms his status as a songwriter swept up in his own whirlwind fame and alienated from the normality he used to celebrate and glorify. The Nylon Curtain so emphatically reveals Joel's emotional detachment that the album serves a worthy purpose. With this complete songwriting tumble, Joel can essentially...
...Joel Popkins '86 put it more concretely Drinking games are like Russian Roulette," he said "the object of both is to get blasted out of your mind...
...Joel Ratner...