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The title of this concert album by Billy Joel--12 GARDENS: LIVE--takes its name from the singer-songwriter's dozen consecutive sold-out shows at New York City's Madison Square Garden, from which these recordings were taken. Joel was no longer a spring chicken by 2006, and the wear and tear of the grueling, high-profile gig can sometimes be heard in his performances. Yet this is a small complaint; Joel is a pop icon, and his success can be measured by the audience's rapturous reception over the course of this double-disc set. But the meat of the set, naturally, is his songs, which include hits ("My Life" and "Piano Man") alongside lesser-known gems ("Laura" and "Don't Ask Me Why"), and newer material ("River of Dreams") alongside old ("New York State of Mind"). Joel's songcraft is evergreen, and his way with an infectious pop melody is undeniable--so much so that even reluctant listeners are likely to be singing along with disc 2's rousing version of "Only the Good Die Young."
