Every Billy Joel Album Ranked Worst To Best

Cold Spring Harbour was Joel's first studio album. Released under Family Productions and Columbia Records, the album was marred with technical issues, and upon its release the whole thing was far from what Joel had intended. The music was clunky and unimpressive, and his vocals were poorly dubbed, making him sound far too high-pitched and out of character.

First released in 1971, the album was eventually remastered in 1983, fixing the record's many bugs. But even with the long-awaited polish, there is still something lacking from the album. The music, whilst featuring some great piano work, is still not quite up to par with what Joel would achieve on later records, and the production still features a fuzzy overtone that distracts from Joel's lyrics.

Despite these issues, it's worth noting that Joel was only twenty-two when Cold Spring Harbour came out, and if you can get passed the production, his musical sensibilities already show a man in complete control of his talent. The album also features "She's Got a Way," which remains one of Joel's most popular songs. It's just a shame they messed it up during its initial release.

Best Songs: She's Got a Way, Everybody Loves You Now