The Billy Joel Catalog, Dispatch #9

Album: ‘The Nylon Curtain‘
Year: 1982

I can see why Billy Joel in the 1980s can come off as some sort of joke. Though I think he would push back at the notion that he is a slave to trends, Billy, at the very least, had some kind of fascination in some of the trends that were innundating pop music at the time. I don’t know whether he thought he was ebtter than the trend setters or just wanted to make something his own, but he sure went after a good number of them here (not as much as ‘The Bridge,’ but I’ll get to that later).

Like with his last studio effort, Side 1 on this album is dynamite. He took on The Boss with his own working-man’s anthem “Allentown;” he gave a Bill Withers-esque nod to Vietnam vets with “Goodnight Saigon” (though about six years later); he out-Peter Gabriel’d Peter Gabriel with “Pressure;” and he seemed to have a sixth sense about a relationship I would have nearly 20 years later with my own (and incidentally named) “Laura.” And while I adore this first half, the second side falls flat again, even with Billy trying his best with his homage to The Beatles ‘Sgt. Peppers’ with “Scandanavian Skies” or even weakly calling back to some of his 70s hits with “A Room of Our Own.” While I would assume that he’s running out of steam, I remember he always writes for himself and not necessarily for the fans so this might just be where he was.

Let’s hear it from the man himself! I’m sure it was exhausting turning your method on its head. Glad I called out ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’ before I saw this. VALIDATION!

Track of Distinction: Though I kinda shit on it, “Laura” would be my pick from this album because of the conflict within the song itself so accurately mirrors the conflict you might have with someone like this in your life.