Billy Joel may be a new face and not exactly the most experienced performer around, but when he does something right, he does it very right. [The song] Piano Man … might well stand the test of time and vagaries of rockdom to become a true classic. The other cuts on the Piano Man album seem pale in comparison and may be the weakness of that album. Its strong lead is so strong it makes you expect too much of this one…. Billy Joel had a lot of middle-weight material vying with a blockbuster. The temptation to bypass much of his material may lead one past the quality that is there. (p. 74)

Streetlife Serenade sets out to overcome this difficulty; it succeeds. True, the blockbusters are there, but this time out they do not seem bigger than life. They are in proportion…. As the piano player has matured, so...