REVIEW: Looking back - Billy Joel's Nylon Curtain

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The Nylon Curtain was Billy Joel's eighth studio album and is perhaps an overlooked point in his career for some. Released in 1982, it was one of the first albums to be recorded, mixed, and produced entirely through digital means. It is among Joel’s most ambitious albums and as he’s said in interviews, it’s “the recording I'm most proud of and the material I'm most proud of.” 

And this is made clear as soon as the album starts. The opening number, “Allentown,” tells the story of disenfranchised youth growing up in a Pennsylvania town, which is in decline from the post-World War II industrial decline that resulted in the modern American Rust Belt. The music is accented properly with the sounds of machinery that permeate through

the music and Joel’s own expressions.  

He sings, in his most piercing lines: “So the graduations hang on the wall/But they never really helped us at all/No they never taught us what was real/Iron and coal/And chromium steel.”   

A recurring theme in the album is a strong Beatles influence. In no other part of the record is it more prominent than in, “Laura,” however. The song is structured like a Paul McCartney number but has the attitude of John Lennon.  It follows a repetitive chord structure, complete with mellow backup vocals and a George Harrison-esque solo. What strengthens the song the most, however, is the texture. The drums and emphases on different instruments become more complex as it goes on.  

“So the graduations hang on the wall/But they never really helped us at all/No they never taught us what was real/Iron and coal/And chromium steel.”

Next is “Pressure,” which most fans should be familiar with. It has a catchy synthesizer hook and a smooth progression that relies on the punchy bassline. There isn’t much else to be said about this number, which dances between smooth tension and release.  

“Goodnight Saigon” is a ballad which tells the story of a group of U.S. Marines who progress from their training into the combat of the Vietnam war. The story is told from the perspective of an unnamed soldier who represents a group, rather than himself. It becomes clear from these lines that Joel is all about the American experience, whether it comes from the modern take of laborers at the time of the record (“Allentown”), or the protagonists of “Goodnight Saigon” during the post-60’s counterculture America.   

Sure, Joel’s emulated echoing in the chorus (“So dark at night-night-night-night!”) comes across as corny, but it’s a fitting tribute to the Vietnam experience, albeit a tad melodramatic.  

The album takes a break from its bleak streak at this point and begins the next song with a Bach-like piano line, which suddenly bursts into a drum break. From here, “She’s Right on Time” begins: a love song which tells the story of a man waiting for his girl to come home for the holidays. The real lightheartedness of this song is found in the music video, however, which brings out the humor of the song’s story.  

From here, the album picks up and takes a rhythmical turn. "A Room of Our Own" is a straightforward rhythm and blues affair that discusses the differences between a man and woman, using metaphors to draw a dichotomy. Nothing complicated here, just a fun number, though it's one of the more forgettable moments on the record.  

"Surprises" opens with an ethereal synthesizer, which gives way to piano and a steady drum groove. What stands out about this song are the lyrics, which are obscure but seem to be about the follies of man. Joel sings in the last verse: "What has it cost you/What have you won/The sins of the fathers/Are the sins of the sons/It was always within you/It will always continue/But it shouldn't surprise you at all."  

As the record winds down, we are next met with “Scandinavian Skies,” which is one of the most peculiar songs Joel's ever written, in my opinion. It's a delirious march that teeters on the edge of darkness and insanity. Joel himself and noted that the song was inspired by heroin. The lyrics tell a vague story of Joel fleeing across Europe and it's filled with absurd deep images which are reminiscent of feeling high.  

Finally, The Nylon Curtain comes to an end with "Where's the Orchestra," a lonely number told from the perspective of someone who has arrived late to a show, only to find the performance is flawed and lacking certain factors, though they still find the silver lining. The lyrics come across as a parable for life, and perhaps for Joel, they're about something more personal.   

The last lines are: "And after the curtain calls/The curtain falls/On empty chairs/Where's the orchestra?" Perhaps it's about something broader than the personal experience. Where have the people gone? This can be interpreted as a dark warning of society losing focus on the arts. Whatever the case may be, the song is a fitting close to a great album. As the album ends, a single accordion plays the melody from "Allentown," bringing the experience full-circle.  

If you're new to Billy Joel, this album isn't a bad place to start. Sure, there are other great options in his catalogue, but if you happen to come across this album online or in a store (for those of you who still go to those things), give it a listen.