Beatles | Revolver (1966)

The Beatles had started to stretch their musical muscle by this time. AND, like watching an athlete stretch, at times you are amazed at their physique and flexibility ("Tomorrow Never Knows") and at times it looks like it hurts ("Love You To"). Both songs heavily incorporate eastern sound and instruments, but one doesn't work. That one little nitpick aside, this is a great album.

Revolver on iTunes

The Who | The Who Sings My Generation (1966)

I found it interesting that the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die included this first release from The Who (The Who Sings My Generation, 1966) and the first release from the Rolling Stones ( The Rolling Stones, 1964) but not the Beatles debut (Please Please Me, 1963). I'd already listened to the Stones album, but needed to buy Please Please Me from iTunes to compare the opening salvos from these three British Invasion powerhouses.

The Who's debut doesn't forsake the past with nods to the Blues and early 1960s pop but adds an edge and a hint of the social upheaval to come later. This is particularly evident in the rebellious take-us-as-we-are attitude n the title track "My Generation" and the pop sounding melody, but angst ridden lyrics of "The Kids Are Alright". They take a "surfing sound" drum track and lay on a highly distorted electric guitar in "The Ox" instrumental -- a hint of experimentation to come by The Who.

The Rolling Stones debut is blues-driven with the debut of the over-the-top showmanship that Mick Jagger later masters.

The Beatles Please Please Me is fun, mop head bopping pop. I like it but in today's context, it doesn't seem ground breaking or interesting. Several other Beatles albums made the 1001 Albums list but not this one. I can now see why.