In the ecstatic wake of The Stranger, Billy Joel released 52nd Street in 1978; I believe the album is one of his best collections. Unusual enough for him, the guitar-heavy rockish "Big Shot" opens the album with a bang. "Honesty" follows as the highlight track; a powerful but meloncholy ballad in which Joel displays some of his cleverest songwriting ("I don't want some pretty face to tell me pretty lies"). The entire album seems edgier than his previous efforts, as evident in the mood-swinging "My Life". Joel holds a trumpet on the album's front cover, and in the mesmerizing "Zanzibar" the instrument is played 1950's style. As these songs all display a musically maturing Joel, his piano work is sometimes forgettable. On the latin - sounding "Rosalinda's Eyes" the focus is kept on his consistent singing and smooth lyrics; a tale reminiscent of Springsteen's The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle. The title track is a two-and-a-half-minute and quite modest ending to the album. I have given 52nd Street 4.5/5 stars because of the superb first half; this was a solid album, though not as ambicious as Turnstiles or The Stranger. This said, an essential collection and a must for any Joel fan will be found somewhere in 52nd Street.

Total Sales: 7.5 Million