Billy's 1980 opus was such a huge hit that it's easy to forget how enduring his songs really are. "Glass Houses" was Billy's "rock" album, and while some weak production (an ongoing problem for Billy) cuts the edge, he focused on a simplicity in the songwriting that really served his voice well. "You May Be Right" is a calculated, if irresistable, first single, but the real standouts are the dark "All for Leyna" (in which he sort of warms up for "Laura" on "Nylon Curtain"), the wonderful "Sleeping With the Television On," and the delicate, gorgeously-structured "Through the Long Night."

Even the misfires are thoroughly entertaining. "Close to the Borderline" lacks the punch to fulfill its post-punk ambitions, and the lyrics are awfully dated, but it's still a delightful anguished-yuppie number, and a nice preview of the more powerful, if equally unsubtle, "Pressure." "C'Etait Toi" meanders a bit, and Billy gets bogged down in bad French, but it's a pop charmer.

Then there are the hits..."Sometimes a Fantasy," "Don't Ask Me Why," the almost novelty-hit "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me." They were all hits for a damn good reason...they have great hooks, Billy sings 'em like he means 'em, and they get better with every listen. Billy would hit his Beatlesque stride with "Nylon Curtain" and find a stronger rock sound with "Storm Front," but it's great to hear him playing with both format on "Glass Houses."

This was my first album ever. I was in third grade. It was this, and Disco Duck, so, you can guess which one stood the test of time. The other album, Glass Houses, was great too! I was too young to understand why being a straight A student meant you thought too much, but, I knew that if you got bad grades, you were cool, and some day, I might have a white boy's afro, wear a leather member's only jacket, and throw a rock through my rich girlfriend's glass house. What do you want from me...I was eight years old when I first heard this album. Thanks to this album I conned my Grandparents into buying me a sax, and then a key board, and then a leather jacket, and, eventually, drums. So, thanks to Billy Joel's Glass Houses, my life would never, ever follow a linear path on the road most travelled. One thing that does stand out, other than the fact that this album still blows away every album I have bought since...the whole star spangled banner playing with the bars and tone sound leading into the song. No one these days will understand what that sound means, which makes it even better. When ever I listen to this album, it always reminds me of a simpler time when every house had one phone, no answering machine, no internet, and a TV with 3 channels on a dial that played the national anthem or star spangled banner as we all fell asleep in the living room....you know...when families all actually hung out with each other. Thank you Billy.

Back in the December of 1980, this album was given to me as a holiday gift. Strangely enough, it wasn't until a prolonged illness in Fall 1982 that I actually listened to the album (guess I got bored of Simon & Garfunkel, the Beatles, and the few selections of Bach and Vivaldi I was listening to back then...) - and realized that there was, in fact, other music out there - and in the case of this album, there was other really, really great music out there...In fact, within 12 months I was listening to the radio, digging through my dad's (and even my sister's) record collection for new and varied music.

But, as usual, I digress. "Glass Houses" is one of Billy Joel's two masterpiece albums. Even now, on listening to this album after having been almost complete jaded on Billy Joel's albums, there are really no songs here that I don't like. Almost every song on this album is a classic.

Highlights? As with any album which I deem to be a masterpiece (and there aren't a whole lot of those around), every song here is a highlight, just about. Favorites include the funny and cynical "You May Be Right", the concise and catchy hit "It's Still Rock 'N Roll To Me", and the urgent lyrics and rocking piano of "All For Leyna". Maybe my favorite song on the album is "I Don't Want To Be Alone" which I love for its nice story of an underdog's efforts in love and for its nice back-up harmonies. "Close To The Borderline" is the closest Billy Joel ever comes to hard rock - and while it's not exactly heavy metal or anything, it is melodic and satisfying. I also love the last song on the album with its Beatlesque harmonies, "Through The Long Night" - the first time I heard it, I thought it actually was a Beatles song - pretty stuff, indeed!

In sum, this album has six or seven songs which I just love - absolutely classic. The rest of the songs are also very good. This is as good as Billy Joel has ever done - a great album! A MASTERPIECE - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND ESSENTIAL!!!

For some reason 1980 saw the onslaught of pop royalty releasing the new wave punky album - Linda Ronstadt had Mad Love, Carly Simon did Come Upstairs and Billy, longing to shed the critic's image of him as a balladeer made Glass Houses - a romping rock album with elements of new wave and punk - of course the new wave and punk just like in the case of Linda and Carly is glossed over by the professional production and the fact that the anger of the genre isn't necessarily convincing in this element.

However, that doesn't mean the albums aren't good, and of the three this is by far my favorite. As a kid I had this cassette and because side one was so frickin' fun I would just rewind and play it over and so I never heard the last five songs until I got this CD yesterday. First let me tell you, those first five songs are completely infectious which to me is the essence of new wave rock - opening with glass smashing (of course) "You May Be Right" begins with its chunky guitar and a Billy Joel growl as he angrily plows through to the next - my favorite - "Sometimes A Fantasy" ('oh, oh, oh'), then a Beatle ish/Spector ish "Don't Ask Me Why" which is so sing alongy I usually end up playing it twice, before the hit single - new waveish Billy on "It's Still Rock & Roll To Me" and then a rocker of bitterness "All For Leyla." Then I was finally able to move to the next set and though not completely forgettable, they aren't quite as great as those first five - though I really like "I Don't Want To Be Alone" & "Sleeping With The Television On" and though I hate to say it, had some real new wave band done the songs they could've been brilliant and fun - I think, like other critics have said - Billy just wasn't all that convincing in his this new bitter world of his.

But they are infectious songs and of the three Billy albums I got (The Stranger, 52nd Street, Glass Houses), this is by far my favorite.

The available master for this record was probably not the best or perhaps something happened with Rob LoVerde remastering because the sound is on the flat side, dry, without a real impact and with a sort of lifeless bass. Even when Glass Houses sounds better than the old cd I own, it is not really a great sounding SACD. If I have to use one word to define the sound of this disc I would say it is constipated.

I am a little surprised because after Glass Houses I listened to Mofi's SACD version of Nylon Curtain, also mastered by Mr. LoVerde, and the differences were huge. With Nylon Curtain you really get a good sounding SACD,