Featuring the top rebel-approved (6.5+) cut from each of the 1966 albums of the year @ TJR: www.thejukeboxrebel.com/album-chart-of-1966 runtime: 2h 49m A PROGRESSIVE YEAR FOR MUSIC - AND THE FIRST DOUBLE ALBUMS IN “ROCK” “We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first - rock 'n' roll or Christianity” ~ John Lennon, London Evening Standard, 4 March 1966. I love John. You’ve just got to laugh with him. Despite his cocky boasting, Bob Dylan prevails as the Planet’s Supreme musical Being, according to Rebel sensibilities, for the FOURTH consecutive year. As if to underline his majestic credentials, his “Blonde on Blonde” masterpiece stands as the first set of “Rock” songs to be issued on the double long play format, clocking in just shy of the 72 minute mark. The Jazz and Classical markets had been producing such sets since 1950, and even Johnny Cash had got involved in 1965, but Dylan's ambitious release was regarded as an influential landmark in the story of the album. Hot on Dylan's heels with a 4-sided set (just 7 days later) were Frank Zappa’s MOV crusaders with their 66 minute “Freak Out!”, openly disdainful of authority and disgusted with religion, paving the way for the counter-culture revolutionaries. Dylan, Zappa, Love and The Stones all thought it'd be a good idea to include extended 10+ minute “epics” within their vinyl grooves this year – only Sir Bob had the nous to pull it off. This development does not bode well for Rock n Roll animals. Musically, following close behind Dylan for sheer song power, were keen disciples Paul and Art, with two mighty long players to their credit. Albums from The Beatles, The Kinks and The Beach Boys demonstrated phenomenal song writing growth, whilst The Rolling Stones displayed tantalising glimpses of comparable innovation. Pushing it one step beyond all pretenders were the Monks, with überbeats from Köln, hitherto unplayed on this wondrous little globe of ours. Amongst the higher quality LPs introducing the genre tag “psychedelia” onto albums for the first time, were offerings from The Beatles, The Seeds, Blues Magoos, Donovan, Love, The Mothers Of Invention and 13th Floor Elevators. The entire Top 20 has a rating of 7 or higher – the strength in depth, to my ears, becomes greater with each passing year. The Jukebox Rebel 06-Jan-2016 revised 17-Feb-2016