I'm not really a huge fan of Billy Joel.  But even though I find the bulk of his music kind of syrupy and dull, at the same time, I think it is generally well crafted, and I have all the respect in the world for him as a musician.  There's no doubt he can sing, write and play piano like a mofo.

The one song of his that I hold dear is "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant."  I believe Joel truly shines when he occasionally drops out of "smash hit construction" mode and writes on a more honest and personal level, which is what I think he is doing here.  Plus, for lack of a better term, he's going all "proggy" on us by creating a seven-plus minute multi-movement epic and showing off his technical brilliance.  Many would find that pretentious and self-indulgent, but I say, if you've got mad skillz, flaunt them.

Click here to watch a live performance of "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" on YouTube.