The Ventures are not quite in their hippie mode here; in fact, their version of "8 Miles High" might be useable as evidence that the song is about airplane flying, and not psychedelic drugs after all. The band sounds more like a sharp country/rockabilly studio recording band, but the main influence here seems to be the Mamas and the Papas who were chart-toppers that year. Cover versions of both of this group's biggest hits are included but the guitar choir doesn't find much to do with them, even though studio picker
Tommy Tedesco managed to get some good licks in on the original records. The non-vocal policy of the Ventures, practically something set in stone by Moses, is defied here with a choral entrance on "Monday Monday," and the voices from the sound of it would have been put to better use selling potato chips. Drummer
Mel Taylor is particularly well recorded here, and gets some good licks in, probably because there wasn't a whole lot else going on. "Ginza Lights" sounds like it would be the best track, and is. ~ Eugene Chadbourne