Elio Pace & His Band - 'Cold Spring Harbor Live' Album Review

Sean Friswell
10 minutes ago
4 min read

Tracklist:

She’s Got a Way
You Can Make Me Free
Everybody Loves You Now
Why Judy Why
Falling of the Rain
Turn Around
You Look So Good to Me
Tomorrow Is Today
Nocturne
Got to Begin Again

Cold Spring Harbor is a flawed classic; I fell in love with it at first listen many years ago. It’s a classic but it was not the way Billy Joel had intended, imagine how good it could have been? When I first saw this album I sneered, yes sneered. As I have lived with this classic Billy Joel gem for so long, I was disgusted that someone had the sheer nerve, the audacity to record it, especially live. I then paused, thought about it for a while then decided I was intrigued enough to give it a go, what’s the worst that can happen? I could hate it, then my sneer would be justified, or I could love it.

My issue with cover versions is that if it sounds exactly like the original, then why record it, but if it is too out there then I hate it. I was concerned that this album would be a carbon copy of the original, the fact that two of the musicians who featured on the 1971 classic is no guarantee of quality. Worse than a carbon copy would have been a total reimagining of it, maybe even experimental, it made me shudder.

The album has kept the same track list as Joels debut and as such opens with “She’s Got a Way”. I must admit, I’m a tad nervous. After a brief introduction “that” piano refrain starts. Not a reimagining, it stays true to the bones of the song. Maybe this is as close to a live version of Cold Spring Harbor as we are going to get, maybe that is okay. The song is still hauntingly brilliant even after all these years and is tastefully rendered by Elio and co.

“You Can Make Me Free” incorporates touches of slide guitar and has a slightly more rock feel to it, fleshing out the song. The guitar is more pronounced throughout the track; the band are making it their own without deviating too much from Billy Joels. Altogether a bigger sound but not jarring, it feels like it was always meant to sound this way. We are off to a great start, but can Elio keep it up? Well, yes, he can.

“Everybody Loves You Now” stays true to the original, except it is more visceral, just, more. It helps that the band sounds like it is having fun. There are a few little bits of guitar and bass that I don’t remember from Billy’s version, just tinny little touches that add to the fullness of the song.

“Why Judy Why” is where everything could fall apart, this is hands down my favourite song on the album. Elio treats it with kid gloves, it’s paired back, simple, and the slide guitar featured on it is melting my heart and I am not too proud to admit that I am tearing up listening to it.

Reading the press release that came with the album I am rather pleased to see that Elio is embarking on a tour of the UK, even better, it kicks off in Harrogate, which is reasonably near to me, you bet I will be there with a bunch of family and friends. If the album so far is anything to go by it will be an emotional evening. I will add the tour dates at the end of this review so you can pick your evening too.

“Falling of the Rain” piano starts and I could be listening to Joel right now. There is something of a fractured beauty to the entire album, it could turn at any moment and be ruined, with such a well listened to album the stakes are high, scrutiny of every note, every word. It would be interesting to know how Elio felt recording this album, did he feel the weight of expectation on his shoulders? It sure doesn’t sound like it, it just flows.

I’m going to stop going through the tracks, we all have our favourites, and I don’t want to spoil the album for anyone. Elio has trodden that fine line carefully and well, reimagining is totally the right word to use for this album. Cold Spring Harbor, but better? Well, yes actually.

After the first listen through of the album I did what I seldom do, I put the entire thing back on again. I needed to check that I had not imagined it, how “RIGHT” it was, the second listen confirmed it though, as has every other listen to it since (and there have been many).

I really want you to listen to Cold Spring Harbor, whether you are a Billy Joel fan or not. The album is just beautiful, no filler whatsoever, like a warm hug from a loved one on a winter’s night. If you are a fan, listen with an open mind, give Elio a chance, I promise you won’t regret it. If you are not a fan of Billy, give this a listen, it is a superb set of piano led songs and a lesson in songwriting.

As promised, here are the live dates, I hope you can make one or two: