Half-Speed Production and Mastering ~ GAIN 2TM Ultra Analog

Specially Plated and Pressed on 180 grams of High Definition Vinyl

Sourced from Original Master Tapes

Ranked 352 on Rolling Stone’s List of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Chart-Topper Certified Seven-Times Platinum: Includes “Big Shot,” “Honesty”, “My Life”

Album Notes:

Billy Joel 52nd Street on Numbered Limited Edition 180g 45RPM 2LP

Mainstream Perfection: Melodic Devices, Passionate Singing, Sophisticated Arrangements, Jazzy Backdrop Walk Down 52nd Street

Some artists embrace their success by repeating the steps that originally granted them fame. Billy Joel did the opposite, refusing to be contained by prescribed approaches or constrained by a given label. The follow-up to the breakthrough The Stranger, 52nd Street further expands on its predecessor's bold production techniques and inventive arrangements, incorporating more sophisticated textures as well as reflecting a jazz edge gleaned from New York City’s thriving club scene.

A key component of our Billy Joel catalog restoration series, The Stranger is mastered from the original master tapes and pressed on 45RPM 180g LP at RTI. The wider and deeper grooves—as well as the meticulous mastering process—yield resplendent dynamics, broad soundstages, three-dimensional perspectives, and tonal balances absent from prior editions. Indeed, Joel wouldn’t sound more realistic if were playing ten rows away from you onstage. This is how you want to experience the 1978 LP that captured the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

Teaming again with producer Phil Ramone, Joel capitalizes on his momentum, churning out another direct-sounding affair replete with captivating melodic devices, showmanship accents, and penetrating lyrics. The singer’s concision and focus is evident via the tune’s lengths, with only “Until the Night” breaking the six-minute mark. Hit singles “Big Shot” and “My Life” rattle forth with an urgency and intensity that Joel had not previously demonstrated, the combination of passionate deliveries, snide overtones, and insistent grooves setting the table for what follows.

Broadening his palette, and drawing from New York’s thriving jazz club scene and the city’s late-70s grit, Joel splashes Latin and jazz colors on several pieces—even employing veterans such as Dave Grusin and Freddie Hubbard to contribute along with a cast that includes a team of background vocalists and horn players. Everything is tastefully appointed, and yet the vocalist’s trademark Broadway gaze and knack for the grand gesture coincide with the straight-ahead swagger.

52nd Street is one of the main reasons why Joel has always been championed for consistency. Everything here, from the production to the stand-up songs, helped redefine mainstream pop-rock. More than three decades later, it’s finally available in fidelity that rivals that of those Columbia Records’ master tapes produced right on 52nd Street.

Track List:

1. Big Shot

2. Honesty

3. My Life

4. Zanzibar

5. Stiletto

6. Roaslinda’s Eyes

7. Half a Mile Away

8. Until the Night

9. 52nd Street

The 52nd Street 2xLP (45RPM~180 gram) by Billy Joel is factory-sealed new. It has never been played and has always been kept in its original packaging. The LP is not a promo or cutout. There are no marks or punches of any kind. All our CDs and   vinyl are new! If you have any questions or want to see additional photos, just email us.

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