In the Vaults 2

In the Vaults 2

• IN THE VAULTS VOL 2 by THE VENTURES (1999-05-25)

Not a single one of these 26 titles was released before the appearance of this compact disc, though most of the material is of such marginal worth that it could only be recommended to collectors of the band. That considerable constituency will be pleased, though, that the tracks date from the group's prime, approximately 1960 to 1965. Approximately, we say, since exact session dates are unavailable for some of the tunes, though many can be dated with near-approximate certainty because they sound so much like other Ventures early-'60s recordings. Lots of these are routine covers of rock and pop standards like "Travelin' Man," "Greensleeves," "True Love," "Teen Beat," "Forty Miles of Bad Road," "Bongo Rock," "What'd I Say," and so on. Sometimes these sound quite thin even in relation to other Ventures recordings from the same era, let alone the originals, and the musicians prove that slow ballads are definitely not their forte. Things heat up on several tunes cut in 1965 that have a tougher, more aggressive sound than the rest of the set (and also encompass some of the few originals included on the disc); "Spanish Armada," for instance, would have made quite a respectable spy/adventure soundtrack theme. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide