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4.0 out of 5 stars
The Ventures End an Era, January 21, 2005
This review is from: 10th Anniversary Album (Audio CD)
Despite its title, "Tenth Anniversary" is neither a compilation or a nostalgic exploration of the Ventures' career. Instead, the Ventures (by this time including both ace studio guitarist Gerry McGee and keyboardist John Durrill)chose to create a two-LP set covering a wide spectrum of late 1960s pop. As expected, there are several Beatles songs, a pair by Paul Simon, some Bob Dylan and some Creedence Clearwater Revival - but also some Tom Jones, Burt Bacharach, and Frank Sinatra material! Even the Association's syrupy "Never My Love" and the flaky epic "MacArthur's Park" make appearances.
All the arrangements on the collection are first-rate. Rather than treat the songs to the standard reverb-and-fuzz "Ventures style," the Ventures rely instead on a keyboard-heavy, almost chamber pop sound. At times, the well-rehearsed ambience and flawless execution remind me a bit of the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" album. This isn't even remotely surf rock anymore, and all the rawness of earlier hits is gone. The Ventures are reintroducing themeselves as a meticulous studio band that's grown up considerably.
Unfortunately, the late-1960s weren't very good to the Ventures, and after they recorded a series of odd quasi-psychedelic LPs, "Tenth Anniversary" seemed even further from the rock mainstream. Regardless, this CD definitely has its strong points for anyone who enjoys instrumental guitar music. The arrangements are exceptionally clever ("Eleanor Rigby" has electric guitar and honky tonk piano, "Those Were the Days" has a Coral electric sitar, and "MacArthur Park often comes across as a film noir soundtrack). To my ears, "Tenth Anniversary" signals the end of a pop era, and provides a sentimental closure to the decade that brought the Ventures their greatest worldwide success.
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