AMG Review of Ventures Play Telstar -- The Lonely Bull and Others /(The) Ventures in Space

Richie Unterberger
All Music Guide

Capitol released two early Ventures albums, The Ventures Play Telstar -- The Lonely Bull and Others and (The) Ventures in Space, on one CD in 1992. A Top Ten album for the group in early 1963, Telstar demonstrates their versatility on faithful covers of a number of contemporary hits, ranging from rock to soul to easy listening. Few listeners need to dig deeper than a greatest-hits collection for the Ventures, but the early effort Ventures in Space is an arguable exception. The group embellished its trademark sleek guitar instrumentals with creepy, then-futuristic production effects, sounding at times like a mix of surf music and the incidental music to #Star Trek. The ghostly, theremin-like sounds on several tracks are actually produced by top session player Red Rhodes on steel guitar.