Storm Front (album)

Storm Front
Studio album by Billy Joel
Released October 17, 1989
Recorded 1988–1989
Studio The Hit Factory Times Square Studio, New York, New York
Right Track Recording, New York, New York
The Warehouse Studio, Vancouver, British Columbia
The Power Station, New York, New York, spring/summer
Genre Rock
Length 44:34
Label Columbia
Producer Billy Joel, Mick Jones
Billy Joel chronology
Концерт
(1987)Концерт1987		 Storm Front
(1989)		 River of Dreams
(1993)River of Dreams1993
Singles from Storm Front
  1. "We Didn't Start the Fire"
    Released: 1989
  2. "Leningrad"
    Released: 1989
  3. "I Go to Extremes"
    Released: 1989
  4. "The Downeaster 'Alexa'"
    Released: April 1990
  5. "That's Not Her Style"
    Released: July 1990
  6. "And So It Goes"
    Released: October 1990
  7. "Shameless"
    Released: 1991
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Deseret News(Positive)[2]
The Los Angeles Times[3]
The New York Times(Positive)[4]
People(Not favorable)[5]
Robert ChristgauB[6]
Rolling Stone[7]

Storm Front is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on October 17, 1989. It features one of Joel's three No. 1 hits, "We Didn't Start the Fire", a fast-paced song that cataloged a list of historical events, trends, and cultural icons from after World War II (when Joel was born) until 1989, and "Leningrad", a story-song about a friendship between an American and a Russian during the final years of the Cold War.

"I Go to Extremes", a song describing the ups and downs of his emotional life, placed at No. 6. Other songs that placed in the top 100 were "And So It Goes" (No. 37), "The Downeaster 'Alexa" (No. 57), and "That's Not Her Style" (No. 77). The cover depicts the maritime storm warning flag indicating wind forces 10-12, the highest intensity on the Beaufort scale.

Cover versions

Track listing

All songs written by Billy Joel.

Side one

  1. "That's Not Her Style" – 5:10
  2. "We Didn't Start the Fire" – 4:50
  3. "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" – 3:44
  4. "I Go to Extremes" – 4:23
  5. "Shameless" – 4:26

Side two

  1. "Storm Front" – 5:17
  2. "Leningrad" – 4:06
  3. "State of Grace" – 4:30
  4. "When in Rome" – 4:44
  5. "And So It Goes" – 3:38

Personnel

Storm Front marked a radical change in Joel's backing band. Since his last studio album (The Bridge), both Russell Javors and Doug Stegmeyer, long-time members of Joel's band, were discharged from their respective duties as rhythm guitarist and bass guitarist. Javors was replaced with Joey Hunting for the record and by Tommy Byrnes on tour while Stegmeyer was replaced by Schuyler Deale. Band regulars Liberty DeVitto, David Brown and Mark Rivera were retained. Joel also hired the percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Crystal Taliefero beginning with this album.

  • Billy Joel – vocals, acoustic piano, clavinet, accordion, Hammond organ, harpsichord, synthesizers, guitars, percussion
  • Liberty DeVitto – drums (1-9), percussion (2)
  • David Brown – lead guitar (1-9), Midi guitar solo on "Storm Front"
  • Joey Hunting – rhythm guitar (2)
  • Crystal Taliefero – backing vocals (1, 2, 5, 6, 9), percussion (2)
  • Schuyler Deale – bass guitar (1-9)
  • Jeff Jacobs – synthesizers, backing vocals (1), horn arrangements (6)

Additional musicians

  • Don Brooks – harmonica on "That's Not Her Style"
  • Mick Jones – guitar on "Storm Front", guitar solo on "State of Grace"; backing vocals on "That's Not Her Style", "I Go To Extremes" and "State of Grace"
  • John Mahoney – keyboards on "We Didn't Start the Fire", keyboard programming on "Leningrad"
  • Sammy Merendino – electronic percussion on "We Didn't Start the Fire"
  • Kevin Jones – keyboard programming on "We Didn't Start the Fire"
  • Doug Kleeger – sounds effects and arrangements on "We Didn't Start the Fire"
  • Dominic Cortese – accordion on "Leningrad"
  • Itzhak Perlman – violin on "The Downeaster 'Alexa'"
  • Lenny Pickett – saxophone on "Storm Front" and "When in Rome"
  • Andrew Love, Wayne Jackson – The Memphis Horns on "Storm Front"
  • Bill Zampino – choral arrangement on "Leningrad"
  • Chuck Arnold – backing vocals and choral leader on "Leningrad"
  • Arif Mardin – orchestral arrangement on "Leningrad"
  • Hicksville High School Chorus – backing vocals on "Leningrad"
  • Richard Marx – backing vocals on "Storm Front" and "That's Not Her Style"
  • Patricia Darcy-Jones – backing vocals on "That's Not Her Style", "Shameless", "Storm Front" and "When in Rome"
  • Frank Floyd – backing vocals on "That's Not Her Style", "Shameless" and "Storm Front"
  • Brian Ruggles – backing vocals on "That's Not Her Style"
  • Joe Lynn Turner – backing vocals on "I Go To Extremes" and "State of Grace"
  • Ian Lloyd – backing vocals on "I Go To Extremes" and "State of Grace"
  • Brenda White King – backing vocals on "When in Rome"
  • Curtis King – backing vocals on "When in Rome"

Production

  • Produced by Billy Joel and Mick Jones
  • Mixed by Tom Lord-Alge (Tracks 1-3) and Jay Healy (Tracks 3-10).
  • Engineered by Jay Healy
  • Assistant Engineers – Dana Becker, Tim Crich, David Dorn, Suzanne Hollander, Joe Pirrera and Gary Solomon.
  • Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
  • Art Direction – Chris Austopchuk
  • Back Photo – Timothy White
  • Front Photo – Frank Ockenfels

Accolades

Grammy Awards

Year Nominee/work Award Result
1990"We Didn't Start the Fire"Song of the Year[8]Nominated
Record of the Year[8]Nominated
Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male[8]Nominated
1991Storm FrontBest Pop Vocal Performance, Male[9]Nominated
Storm Front (produced by Billy Joel and Mick Jones)Producer of the Year (Non-Classical)[10]Nominated

Charts and certifications

Certifications and sales

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[31] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[32] Gold 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[33] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Germany (BVMI)[34] Platinum 500,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[35] Platinum 110,000[36][37]
Netherlands (NVPI)[38] Gold 50,000[39]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[40] Gold 7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[41] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[42] 4× Platinum 4,000,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ Storm Front at AllMusic
  2. ↑ Boren, Ray (1989-01-19). "`STORM FRONT' BRINGS OUT THE POPULIST IN JOEL". deseretnews.com. Deseret News. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
  3. ↑ Boehm, Mike (1989-12-03). "Imitative Billy Joel Still Seeking Respectability : BILLY JOEL "Storm Front."". articles.latimes.com. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
  4. ↑ Holden, Stephen (1989-10-29). "HOME ENTERTAINMENT/RECORDINGS: RECENT RELEASES". nytimes.com. The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
  5. ↑ Hiltbrand, David /Novak, Ralph / Abrahams, Andrew / Small, Michael (1989-11-20). "Picks and Pans Review: Storm Front". People. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
  6. ↑ Christgau, Robert. Consumer Guide Reviews: Billy Joel. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
  7. ↑ John McAlley (1989-11-30). "Music Reviews : Storm Front by Billy Joel". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008-02-20
  8. 1 2 3 "Here's list of nominees from all 77 categories". deseretnews.com. Deseret News. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
  9. ↑ Cromelin, Richard / Hunt Dennis (1991-01-11). "Grammys--Round 1 : Pop music: Phil Collins' 8 nominations lead the pack and Quincy Jones sets a record with his 74th nod. The winners will be revealed on Feb. 20". articles.latimes.com. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
  10. ↑ Cromelin, Richard / Hunt Dennis (1991-01-11). "Grammys--Round 1 : Pop music: Phil Collins' 8 nominations lead the pack and Quincy Jones sets a record with his 74th nod. The winners will be revealed on Feb. 20". articles.latimes.com. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
  11. ↑ "australian-charts.com Billy Joel – Storm Front". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  12. ↑ "Billy Joel – Storm Front – austriancharts.at". Retrieved 2011-08-19.
  13. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?lr=&rview=1&id=bSQEAAAAMBAJ&q=billy+joel#v=snippet&q=billy%20joel&f=false
  14. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.6698&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ↑ "dutchcharts.nl Billy Joel – Storm Front". dutchcharts.nl. MegaCharts. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  16. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 263. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  17. ↑ "Album Search: Billy Joel" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  18. ↑ "Tonlist Top 40". DV. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
  19. ↑ ビリー・ジョエル-リリース-ORICON STYLE-ミュージック "Highest position and charting weeks of Storm Front by Billy Joel" Check |url= value (help). oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  20. ↑ "charts.org.nz – Billy Joel – Storm Front". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  21. ↑ "Billy Joel – Storm Front – hitparade.ch". Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  22. ↑ "Chart Stats – Billy Joel – An Innocent Man". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  23. ↑ Allmusic – Storm Front > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
  24. ↑
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: albums chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  25. ↑ "End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1989". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  26. ↑ "UK best albums 1989". Archived from the original on 2012-09-27. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  27. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1990". RPM. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
  28. ↑ http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1990&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-08-29. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. ↑ "End Of Year Charts – Top 5 Albums 1990". Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  30. ↑ "Billboard rates the top hits for 1990". deseretnews.com. Associated Press. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  31. ↑ "Australian Top 50 Albums Chart (weekly chart)". ARIA Chart. 8 April 1990.
  32. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Billy Joel – Storm Front" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Billy Joel in the field Interpret. Enter Storm Front in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen. 
  33. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Billy Joel – Storm Front". Music Canada.
  34. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Billy Joel; 'Storm Front')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  35. ↑ "Japanese album certifications – ビリー・ジョエル – STORM FRONT" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 1993年1月 on the drop-down menu
  36. ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  37. ↑ "a-ビリー・ジョエル" [Yamachan Land (Japanese Chart Archives) – Albums Chart Daijiten – Billy Joel] (in Japanese). Original Confidence. 2007-12-30. Archived from the original on 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  38. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Billy Joel – Storm Front" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Storm Front in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  39. ↑ "de branchevereniging van de entertainmentindustrie". Archived from NVPI the original Check |url= value (help) on 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2011-08-17. Note: User needs to enter "Billy Joel" in the "Artiest" field and click below "zoek" button.
  40. ↑ THE FIELD id (chart number) MUST BE PROVIDED for NEW ZEALAND CERTIFICATION.
  41. ↑ "British album certifications – Billy Joel – Storm Front". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Storm Front in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  42. ↑ "American album certifications – Billy Joel – Storm Front". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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