release date: Aug. 8, 1983
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Phil Ramone
label: CBS Records - nationality: USA
9th studio album by Billy Joel is his fifth consecutive album to be produced by Phil Ramone, and it follows one year after the album The Nylon Curtain (Sep. 1982).
I really don't have any recollection that tells me anything about how and why I became convinced in purchasing this very album, although, I think I did acquire it in late '83 or in early '84. I wasn't particular interested in Joel and didn't know of any of his previous albums. My best guess is that I really liked the singles that I heard on MTV. A massive total of seven singles were released from the album - at first the promotion single "Tell Her About It" (Jul. 1983), which became the only number #1 single hit from the album, and then the following two singles: "Uptown Girl" (Sep. 1983) - peaking as number #3 in the US but generally performing best internationally - and "An Innocent Man" (Dec. 1983) making it to a tenth spot in the US. A fourth single "The Longest Time" was released Mar. '84, and it simply continued the fine chart performances reaching number #14 on the singles chart in the US, which paved the way for another three single releases: "Leave a Tender Moment Alone" (Jun. 1984) - charting as number #27, "This Night" (released exclusively in Japan and in the UK), and "Keeping the Faith" (Jan. 1985) peaking at number #18 in the US.
What I do remember is that I played the album quite a lot in about a year or so, after which it sort of had played its part. Listening to the album anew makes me remember the time but also reminds me that I never was and never has been a big fan of Billy Joel. Yes, he made some classic pop songs, and that's about it. At the same time there's something specifically American to his music that just doesn't appeal to me in the same way, say Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell, or Etta James have had lasting impact. What's also saying about my taste for Joel, is the fact that I don't remember ever listening to his following album The Bridge (Jul. 1986) in its full length.
An Innocent Man is very much a product of a narrow time in music history. It's definitely a solid and classic album you should know of, although, many will have very different opinions as to calling it a certified classic pop album but to me, it fits on a shelve with best selling albums by Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Pat Benatar, and Supertramp for that matter.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]
