Ventures in Space

AMG Review of Ventures in Space

Richie Unterberger
All Music Guide

Few listeners need to dig deeper than a greatest hits collection for The Ventures, but this early effort is an arguable exception. The group embellished their 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. The British instrumental group The Tornados (of "Telstar" fame) did this kind of stuff better, if you're looking for this kind of thing. The CD reissue combines this album and the 1962 LP The Ventures Play Telstar -- The Lonely Bull and Others.