Fantasies & Delusions is NOT an album for those expecting more of Joel's pop/rock material. Instead, this is fundamentally a collection of classical compositions that seem intended as throwbacks more than anything else. The fact we get two tracks, both of which clock in at over 11 minutes each, in addition to ten other pieces (eight if you consider the three parts to "Opus 8" as one track), to nearly double Joel's average album runtime should be an indication even before diving in. Truth be told, it's not a bad throwback. The piano-playing is top-notch with a nice flow and melody existing in each opus. However, being that this is well over an hour of nothing but pianos, it's easy to understand why many won't stay for the whole ride. Not that they need to if not compelled, for this is music intended only for the greatest of piano enthusiasts. And even then, it's tough to argue that this offers anything beyond what Joel's paying homage to.
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