SE 3, EP 22: Billy Joel - The Stranger

08/07/23 • 139 min

This week we look at The Stranger, Billy Joel’s 1978 tour de force.

Teaming up with producer Phil Ramone for his fifth LP The Stranger, Billy Joel finally found the critical and commercial success that had eluded him previously. Recorded with his own band, the album represents Joel at the pinnacle of his art. Containing such Joel standards as "Just the Way You Are", "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)", "Only the Good Die Young", and "She's Always a Woman"; as well as fan favorites "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and "Vienna,” The Stranger would eventually sell over 10 million copies on its way to becoming Columbia's bestselling release of all time.

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This week we look at The Stranger, Billy Joel’s 1978 tour de force.

Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.

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SE 3, EP 21: Blue Rodeo - Five Days in July

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This week we talk about Five Days in July, the fifth album by the Canadian country-rock band, Blue Rodeo.

Formed in 1984 by high school pals Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, Blue Rodeo became mainstays of the country and roots-rock revival in Toronto during the mid-1980s.

In 1993, the band gathered at Greg Keelor’s farmhouse to begin work on their next album, Five Days In July , which was actually recorded in five days. Bucking the trend of popular music at the time (grunge anyone?) the band made their most acoustic album to date. The lack of loud, distorted guitar didn’t seem to matter to their Canadian fans. Full of tunes about love and loss, many of of the songs on Five Days in July would become some of the band’s most adored songs. The album would end up being the band’s biggest commercial success, and cement their standing as one of Canada’s most beloved bands.

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SE 3, EP 23: Cheap Trick - Heaven Tonight

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On this weeks episode, its another listerner's pick! We give listen to 1978's Heaven Tonight, Cheap Trick's third studio album, and considered by many to be their best. Having explored their harder rock side on their self-titled debut, and embracing their power pop leaning on their second LP In Color, Heaven Tonight finds the band finding a happy middle ground between both to fantastic results. From the opener fantastic "Surrender", an ode to the generation gap (considered one of the greatest power pop songs ever), to the bouncy piano send off of "How Are You", Heaven Tonight is a whirlwind of crunchy guitars, soaring vocals, and impossible hooks.

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