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 Deserted island CD Aug 16, 2009
This album (along with Songs in the Attic) has topped my list of "deserted island" albums (the albums I would want to have if I were stranded on a deserted island...with a CD player and endless power supply) since I was in my teens. It was the second album I owned by Billy Joel, and quickly became my favorite.
If you only buy one Billy Joel album, it should be this one or Songs in the Attic. But you really shouldn't have only one.
 Glass Houses converts even a non-Billy Joel fan Aug 04, 2009
I'm not a huge Billy Joel fan. Always found him too commercial, too corny. That being said, Glass Houses is one of my favorite albums. This is when Joel tried out the new wave thing all the musicians were doing in the early 80s. What he ended up with is a beautiful hodgepodge of hard rock, soft rock, pop, and new wave.
The album begins with the sound of shattered glass, introducing one of his best-known works, "You May Be Right." It's a hard rocker about a guy who is supposedly too crazy for his girlfriend. This is one of my least favorites because it's so over-played on the radio and the main character of the song is so annoying in how he keep trying to prove how insane he is. (And going through Bed-Stuy alone does not make one crazy, by the way.)
Then we segue into one of my favorites "Sometimes A Fantasy," about, of all things, phone sex. (The song begins with him dialing on a touchtone phone. He had fun with sound effects in this album.) Now phone sex is not the typical Joel subject. Still, he handles it very humorously. Lots of fast rhythm and heavy panting. A very complex/sophisticated song musically speaking.
Track 3 brings us back to familiar Joel territory: "Don't Ask Me Why." Though this is also overplayed on radio, I don't mind. It has a beautiful medley. Elegant. Like a fine wine. Another reviewer compared this to a Paul McCartney song, and I would agree it is very Beatle-like. Romantic.
Track 4 is "It's Still Rock n' Roll to Me." Here Joel is saying that no matter what they want to call rock n' roll, (punk, new wave, pop), it will still be rock to him. A real rock song (as befits the lyrics) with a tinge of new wave and killer sax solo. Another standout.
Five is, as other reviewers have said here, is the album's best song "All for Leyna," a piano-driven tune about a teen losing his mind over his latest female obsession. If you've ever been dumped by anyone, this should be in your iPod. If you've ever said, "Oh Billy Joel, so predictable," this should be in your iPod. He pulls out all the stops here. He perfectly captures what it's like to be a teen (or adult) with a broken heart.
Song six is a little weak. It's a slowed-down rocker, "I Don't Want to Be Alone." It's about a woman who wants to be with a man who hurt her, just because it's better than being alone. It's an ok song, but compared to how much better things get on this album, it pales.
Sleeping with the Television On is a very fast rock and roll songs which begins with the national anthem (that used to be played before stations went off the air at night.) It's like a pre-Uptown Girl, about a too-good-for-every-guy girl who has such high standards she'll be sleeping alone. So catchy. So good. Great lyrics. Cool solo. I think it's a Wurlitzer organ.
Think of C'etait Toi (You Were the One) as a lesser "Don't Ask Me Why." Sounds very similar to that song, though not as good. A slow ballad in which Joel tries to sound like Charles Aznavour and fails miserably. Still, not at bad as "I Don't Want to Be Alone" and really, not a bad song if you don't compare it to Don't Ask Me Why.
Skip over Close to the Borderline, in which Joel pretends he's a tabloid news reporter. Terrible.
And then we end with another great song "Through the Long Night.' What a lovely ballad this song is. I love this line ("All your past sins/Have since passed.") Just a fantastic number. Slow, lovely, romantic. Definitely highlight.
Overall, it is somewhat hit or miss which is why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars. But the songs that are good are really good, and even if you don't consider yourself a Joel fan, this is one for your collection. Easily one of the best albums of the 80s and of Joel's career.
A Rip Roaring Change Of Pace. Aug 17, 2008
After the back to back smashes that were 1977's "The Stranger" and 1978's "52nd Street," Billy was quick to adapt to the changing sounds of the time. With his brand of piano pop taking a back to seat to punk and the up and coming New Wave movement, Billy got to work on a new batch of numbers that eventually became 1980's "Glass Houses."
"Glass Houses," as mentioned, marks a departure for Billy. New sounds and instrumentations are present on this record, and Billy's trademark acoustic piano often gives way to heavier keyboard use as well as chunkier guitar riffs and more prominent drums.
The album begins, appropriately, with a brief snippet of glass shattering, before the opening riff of the hectic rocker "You May Be Right" gets the ball rolling. A fast paced, fun, gritty rocker with a snarling Billy vocal, this song remains an instant Billy classic, one of his all time best songs and an immense crowd pleaser that explodes with energy.
The second track is another hard hitting rocker, the in your face rocker "Sometimes A Fantasy." Underscored by Joel's heavy breathing and theremin screech on the instrumental break simulating climax, it is quite simply the finest rock and roll song ever written about phone sex. A true classic and a great song.
Next up is the "Don't Ask Me Why," by far the mellowest track on the album and the one closest in sound to his previous efforts. Sung with a sly, easygoing style with a lilting samba providing background, this charming piece is another concert perennial and one that will have you toe tapping in no time.
Next comes the album's most recognizable track and Billy's first number one single. "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" bops along to a chugging New Wave meets "Midnight Rambler" beat as Billy laments people's attitudes towards changing times and how they update to remain hip. It's a true feel good number, a concert favorite and one of his all time best songs.
The next track is probably my favorite song on the album. "All For Leyna" is a dark ballad about obsession, highlighted by a stuttering keyboard riff and a snarling, angry Billy vocal as he recalls the woman who gave him the most memorable night of his life and now hopes for her return endlessly, even as he slowly destroys himself in the process. A dark, thrilling rocker that sadly goes under the radar.
The mood shifts gears with the midtempo ballad "I Don't Want To Be Alone," which features a nice chorus but is fairly disposable.
Next comes another all time favorite, the in your face rocker "Sleeping With The Television On." A frenetic punk / New Wave combo, it's a pure rock rave-up and one of my all tiem favorite Billy songs. I had the pleasure of seeing him perform it at Madison Square Garden 2 years ago, and it was magnificent.
Next comes the album's sole mishap, as "C'Etait Toi (You Were The One)" meanders with Billy singing bad French. Had the song stuck to Engliah and maybe been cut down, it would've worked a bit better.
"Close To The Borderline" is a nervous rocker personifying early 1980s' yuppy life. A bit out of date, but it's a nice listen.
The brief, delicate ballad "Through The Long Night" brings the album to a close, and it's a beautiful love song.
This album is Billy at his absolute best, and is a must have for all fans.
Billy Joel's first 80s album is still a rocker beginning to end nearly 30 years on Aug 14, 2008
Billy Joel's seventh album Glass Houses was released in March of 1980.
By 1980, Billy Joel's career was in full swing as he had two classic blockbuster selling albums back to back (1977's breakthrough The Stranger and 1978's chart topper 52nd Street). By 1979, music was changing as disco was dying, new wave and arena rock were in a battle for rock supremacy. Billy decided to change musical gears for his seventh album and with longstanding producer Phil Ramone delivered what is seen as Billy's first full rock album.
The album literally begins with a smash hit for Billy called "You May be Right". This rocker has some great guitars (especially new guitarist David Brown's killer guitar solo and now rhythm guitarist Russell Javors could concentrate on rhythm while David could play) and percussion by the faithful drummer Liberty DeVitto and Billy had not ever sounded better! Billy sings about the fun he has partying and how he has found a woman he wants to make his lover. Next is another rocker "Sometimes A Fantasy" which has the protagonist dreaming late at night for his woman and this rocker just burns. Next is a semi-ballad called "Don't Ask Me Why" which has a nice Latin beat and great acoustic guitar and piano work. Next is Billy Joel's first #1 hit the rocking "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" which sees superficial people who mindlessly follow fashion and music trends just to look good and a great sax solo from Richie Cannata. The first half of the album ends with the mid-tempo rocker "All For Leyna" which is about a man who can't get Leyna, a woman he met, out of his mind. The inspiration of this track came from The Police's "Roxanne" and Billy wanted to pay homage to his new favorite band at the time with a song about a girl with a unique name.
"I Don't Want To Be Alone" kicks off the album's second half and is another great number which has tempo changes left and right and inspired by some of the New Wave bands of the time. Next is another rocker "Sleeping With the Television On" which reminds me of The Police's early work but a great number. Next is a ballad called "C'Etait Toi (You Were The One)" which features Billy remembering his one true love who left him. He had the guts to sing half of the track in French with great results (inspired by The Beatles track "Michelle" believe it or not). It's a shame that many hate this song (including some of his French fans for some reason) but I love it. Next is another great rocker "Close to the Borderline" which showed Billy Joel wasn't just ballads and jazz but could rock out. We end the album with the ballad "Through The Long Night" which was inspired by The Beatles' ballad "Yes It Is".
Glass Houses continued rightfully Joel's winning streak as it became his second US #1 album where it reigned for a month and a half that year and has sold to date seven million copies in the US alone.
In 1998, the album was re-released as a remastered CD and trumps the original 1980s CD issue by a longshot.
Recommended!
classic Billy Joel, fantastic album Jul 21, 2008
I couldn't disagree more with the reviewer who kept describing songs from this album as "vintage fake-(insert another famous singer's name here)" because Billy Joel is unique. He's not trying to be somebody else, he's an amazing talent with his own varied original material.
Ok....that being said, I grew up listening to Billy Joel and love his music. I have his greatest hits volumes I, II and III. However, when you love a particular album and you know the next song that comes after it before it starts, sometimes you just have to have it--so I have also purchased Piano Man, 52nd Street, and now Glass Houses. There isn't a song on this album that I don't like or like less than the rest. There is a variety of songs here and of course amazing piano from the Piano Man.
This is one of my favorite Billy Joel albums, and I would highly recommend it.
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