Though decent points are present, they're ultimately lost in a collection of inconsistent material that makes Joel come off as contrived. Passion is in short supply, namely in the vocals. Even worse: the implementation of keys and pianos here make the music sound sugarcoated, if anything. We have a tragic case on our hands with The Bridge, which ends Joel's long and consistent streak. Not a bad album, but even the duet with Ray Charles on "Baby Grand" can't help the album rise over what it lacks more than anything: the magical, nostalgic vibe Joel expressed through An Innocent Man.
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