Music Gourmets Presents 60 Years of Great Music - 1966

[Zeeba Neighba]

Crazy day, but finally found some time and...

Well, lookie here!
It's the next week in the MG's "60 Years of Great Music" series. Welcome to 1966!
Here's the rules:

Each Friday, I'll introduce a new year from 1957 through 2016. Each member selects an album released in that year with a few lines (or more) on why you picked it/enjoy it. Your selection does not have to be the most important release or the most admired release of that year (though it certainly can be), simply an album that grabs you and that you really love.

However, once an album is selected by a member, you must choose a different album.

Together we will compile quite the canon of "Great Music" and, who knows, maybe inspire each other to check out some new artists (or to revisit old forgotten classics).

This week - the albums of 1966

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

The Beatles - Revolver

All right, I'll make everybody's life just a bit easier (you're welcome!) and nominate the best album of the year (yeah, yeah...I know some Pet Sounds fan is gonna make the same claim in a bit). Personally I'd rank this the number one album of all time if I were to make such a ranking, and plenty would raise the banner and change Huzzah! Look at the songs, man! "Eleanor Rigby", "For No One", "Your Bird Can Sing", "Got to Get You Into My Life" (so cool a song, Earth Wind and Fire covered it"). "Here There and Everywhere" is one of Paul's most beautiful songs (and none other but John Lennon post-breakup admitted it). Every kid loves "Yellow Submarine". Every music critic loves the Beatles most experimental song to date "Tomorrow Never Knows" (so cool a song Phil Collins covered it). Plus Harrison's strongest songwriting up to that time with "Taxman" and "Love You To". Aside from an album cover that I don't personally dig but was probably considered pretty groovy at the time, this one is perfect
Post upcoming 5-star emoji here

 

[Mattafett]

Cream - Fresh Cream

The first year it was hard to choose because I have too much great stuff.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Spotify playlist here:

 

[axolotl]

For the hard of hearing:

https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/1966

 

[Nickyboy]

France Gall- Baby Pop



As I remember it at the time, the mid- to late-60s sound for me was either psychedelic influenced ("Revolver"), or folk influenced (Simon & Garfunkle), or straight ahead bluesy rock (Rolling Stones). It wasn't until I was in college working as a DJ at the station that I found out about what was happening on the European mainland at that time. And one of those things was Ye-Ye. Groovy pop tones, full of fun and satire at the same time. And if you don't understand French, don't worry about it. You can still get up and dance to it. France Gall was the first Ye-Ye artist I heard, so she still holds a warm spot in my heart. But Francoise Hardy, Anna Karina, and Jacqueline Taieb aren't too far behind.

 

[JazzyRandy]

Joe Henderson - Mode For Joe


A great great album, with Lee Morgan, Bobby Hutcherson, and Curtis Fuller filling out the septet

 

[lpfreak1170]

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds


No way in hell am I not picking this. Actually didn't get all the hype when I first heard it...it clicked as I got older. Stunning piece of work. Caroline No has to be the saddest album ender ever.

 

[Nickyboy]

Caroline No has to be the saddest album ender ever.

I never understood why they ended a masterpiece with a depressing song.

 

[patrikc325]

Gordon Lightfoot - Lightfoot!

 

[LeslieC]

Simon & Garfunkel - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

Lots of their best early hits! (and Pet Sounds was already picked)

 

[Unsomnambulist]

The Mothers Of Invention - Freak Out!



Hugely influential album for experimental and offbeat music.

 

[lpfreak1170]

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds


No way in hell am I not picking this. Actually didn't get all the hype when I first heard it...it clicked as I got older. Stunning piece of work. Caroline No has to be the saddest album ender ever.

I never understood why they ended a masterpiece with a depressing song.

The beginning of love at the start to the end of love at the end. I'm gonna guess Sloop John B. is the wild sex part.

 

[Worm]

Sloop John B was one of my dad's favorite songs.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Hang on, Sloopy!

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

If you haven't already, time to get your 1966 album picks posted before we move on to that glorious year 1967 tomorrow

 

[Worm]

Oh the pressure!

 

[axolotl]

Lee Morgan ~ Search for the New Land



The all-star lineup is brilliant.

• Lee Morgan
  trumpet
• Wayne Shorter
  tenor saxophone
• Grant Green
  guitar
• Herbie Hancock
  piano
• Reginald Workman
  bass
• Billy Higgins
  drums

If it was any better, it would be a controlled substance.

 

[Markonomicon]

Had to listen to my top 3 before I picked...axolotl picked my #3 and "Speak No Evil" was my #2. My pick goes to:

My favorite Horace Silver album (of the 10 or so I've heard).

Fantastic songs with melodies (all penned by Silver, minus one by Joe Henderson) that will get stuck in your head for days. This one makes me groove and sway.

Great performances by all, but especially drummer Roger Humphries who, aside from the few Horace Silver lps he played on, is fairly unknown to many. He gets it on this record!

 

[Worm]