This disc is the album that launched Billy Joel as the megastar singer-songwriter of the '70s, and with good reason. Both the title track and "Captain Jack" have become karaoke bar standards, staples of FM radio rock, and cocktail lounges. Some of the lesser-known material in this program, including the truly touching "You're My Home," have aged no less well. The minimal production used here puts Joel's piano and vocals at the forefront, and to good effect. This disc prefigures Joel's fame and remains one of the highest points of his art, and is an essential for any collection of soft rock. --Skip Heller