Every artist starts somewhere, though a few will have found their sound before laying down their debut album. Cold Spring Harbor offers Billy Joel at his earliest, but already adept with the two tools which would stick around for all his albums to follow. There is nothing wrong with sombre piano tones and delicate romance in his reflection-tinged lyrics. Cold Spring Harbor is a tender, simple start. But do not mistake that simplicity for maudlin purposes or lacklustre songwriting. What Joel finds in the straightforward romance, the back-and-forth of a lover that inspires, is reason to continue. The strength to keep on going forms his opening song, and where this endearing tone takes him is clear across this sharp half-hour debut.
Opener She’s Got a Way highlights the dependence Joel would often return to, his vocal range and the hammering piano which compliments his voice so well. At its core, there is an unshaken bond between muse and artist. Joel sounds proud of this connection and uses it tremendously throughout Cold Spring Harbor. It has that post-Beatles blend of light rockers influenced by the band. You can hear the pull Paul McCartney has for high harmonies reflected on by Joel, who has a voice which can hit those highs. He often opts for, as evidenced with the heartstring-pulling You Can Make Me Free, a gruffer sound while engaging those harmonies. His brand of piano rock is a welcomely consistent sound. Cold Spring Harbor has few, if any, flubs. It has fewer peaks, too, but it is an album which suggests Joel is an artist worth hearing. He may rely on cliche with Everybody Loves You Now, but it is the delivery which wins a listener over, the conviction and unique vocal style. He has his cake and eats it too, riffing on his influences and charting course for a new sound.
Cliche plays its part in the pop-rock style Joel aims for, and that is perfectly fine in this instance. Why Judy Why and Falling of the Rain are heavily reliant on the instrumental flourishes, perfectly reasonable filler on an album which is more about cementing Joel as a dependable voice than an individual. The latter is a brief, punchy number ahead of a soppy B-side, and it works. Love gained and lost is the main draw for Cold Spring Harbor. Those latter stages on the album may be forgettable, but a few gems can be found, with Tomorrow is Today reflecting on the late-night haunts. More piano tenderness, another example of Joel as a vocalist with a unique voice.
Cold Spring Harbor has little else to offer, and granted it is a debut release, the albums to follow did not change tactic. Albums of interest to those who have completely fallen in love with Joel’s voice and nothing else. Cold Spring Harbor is a delightfully short piece, a neat piece of work which is more for the Joel historians than anyone in passing. A few choice moments of heartfelt, crucially honest tones, but ultimately, it is an album which serves Joel more than it does an audience. Sweet renditions, a nice voice and the piano relied on as expected. There is nothing more to it than that. The deeper octaves Joel trials on Tomorrow is Today are certainly a choice. Stick with it, it’s an enjoyable early album from Joel’s career.
