Billy Joel – River Of Dreams (1993/2013) [Qobuz FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

Billy Joel – River Of Dreams (1993/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96kHz | Time – 00:49:12 minutes | 1,10 GB | Genre: Rock
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | © Columbia Records
Recorded: 1993, The Boathouse at the Island Boatyard, Shelter Island, NY; Cove City Sound Studios, Glen Cove, NY; The Hit Factory, New York, NY.

Billy Joel had never taken as much time to record an album as he did with River of Dreams, and its troubled birth is clear upon the first listen. Never before had he recorded an album that sounded so labored, as if it was a struggle for him to write and record the songs. With River of Dreams, he’s surrounded himself with ace studio musicians and star producer Danny Kortchmar, all of whom have the effect of deadening an already self-consciously serious set of songs. There are no light moments on the album, either lyrically or musically — all the songs are filled with middle-age dread, even the two best moments, the gospel-inflected title track and his song to his daughter, “Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel).” Those two songs have the strongest melodies, but they’re not as natural as his best material. Everywhere he tries too hard — the metaphors of “The Great Wall of China,” the bizarre vocal intro to “Shades of Grey,” minor-key melodies all over the place. He may be trying different things, but he doesn’t sound comfortable with his detours, and by the end of the record, he sounds as exhausted as the listener feels. By that point, the closing track, “Famous Last Words,” seems prophetic — River of Dreams feels like a sad close to an otherwise strong career, and from all indications he’s given in the press, Joel claims it is indeed the last pop album he’ll ever make. It’s an unworthy way to depart. -Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:
1 No Man’s Land 4:48
2 The Great Wall Of China 5:47
3 Blonde Over Blue 4:55
4 A Minor Variation 5:36
5 Shades Of Grey 4:11
6 All About Soul 6:01
7 Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) 3:34
8 The River Of Dreams 4:07
9 Two Thousand Years 5:20
10 Famous Last Words 4:59

Personnel:
Billy Joel: Vocals, Piano, Clavinet, Organs, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Background Vocals
Zachary Alford: Drums
Phillip Ballou, Katreese Barnes, Dennis Collins, Will Downing, Diane Garisto, Stephanie James, Devora Johnson, Brenda White-King: Choir, Chorus
Tommy Byrnes, Mike Tyler, Leslie West, Danny Kortchmar: Guitar
Richie Cannata: Tenor Sax
Schuyler Deale, Lonnie Hillyer, T.M. Stevens, Chuck Treece, Jef Lee Johnson: Bass
Lew Del Gatto: Orchestra Manager
Liberty DeVitto, Steve Jordan: Drums
Laurence Etkin: Trumpet
Wrecia Ford: Vocals
Arno Hecht: Baritone Sax
Jeff Jacobs: Synthesizer
Color Me Badd: Backing Vocals on ‘All About Soul’
Curtis Rance King, Jr.: Choir Conductor, Choir Contractor
Doug Kleeger Technical Support
Andy Kravitz: Percussion
Osvaldo Melindez: Trombone
Ira Newborn: Orchestration
Jim Saporito: Percussion
Marlon Saunders: Choir, Chorus, Vocals
Frank Simms, George Simms: Background Vocals
Crystal Taliefero: Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
B. David Witworth: Vocals

Download:

mqs.link_BillyJelRiverfDreams19939624.part1.rar
mqs.link_BillyJelRiverfDreams19939624.part2.rar