Listen "EP 136 - Album Retrospective: Glass Houses (Part 3)"
Episode Synopsis
Today, we know Glass Houses as one of Billy Joel’s biggest albums. The 1980 release became his third-consecutive album to quickly go platinum. It kept the band playing some of the biggest venues in the world, and features a handful of songs that are still live staples.
At the time, however, it was a drastic departure from Billy’s previous hit records. He’d shed much of the classical and jazz influences that marked The Stranger and 52nd Street. The scaled-back arrangements reflected then-modern New Wave and Power Pop with a more stripped-down and guitar-driven approach.
It was the first time in arguably a decade that Billy made a conscious effort to create an album based on the popular music of the time. As a result, more critics were lukewarm, and even hostile, to the songs.
Over time, the record cemented its status as a seminal release. After all, it’s the one we named this podcast after. Now, we’re finally giving it an official listen-through.
Join us as we drop the needle on Billy Joel’s 1980 album Glass Houses.
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Email us: [email protected]
Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media:
Website: https://www.glasshousespod.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/
Twitter / X: https://x.com/glasshousespod
Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@glasshousespod
Support the podcast:
Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod
Venmo: @MGrosvenor
Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Glass Houses Media, LLC
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
At the time, however, it was a drastic departure from Billy’s previous hit records. He’d shed much of the classical and jazz influences that marked The Stranger and 52nd Street. The scaled-back arrangements reflected then-modern New Wave and Power Pop with a more stripped-down and guitar-driven approach.
It was the first time in arguably a decade that Billy made a conscious effort to create an album based on the popular music of the time. As a result, more critics were lukewarm, and even hostile, to the songs.
Over time, the record cemented its status as a seminal release. After all, it’s the one we named this podcast after. Now, we’re finally giving it an official listen-through.
Join us as we drop the needle on Billy Joel’s 1980 album Glass Houses.
------
Email us: [email protected]
Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media:
Website: https://www.glasshousespod.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/
Twitter / X: https://x.com/glasshousespod
Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@glasshousespod
Support the podcast:
Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod
Venmo: @MGrosvenor
Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Glass Houses Media, LLC
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices