Ventures WALK DON'T RUN 2

Personnel: Nokie Edwards, Bob Bogle (guitar, bass guitar); Don Wilson (guitar); Mel Taylor (drums).
The members of the surf band supreme seem to think it is best to stay in the background, personality-wise. For the cover art of this album, they hide behind a dish in a tight yellow sweater on the front, and behind an even more attractive Mosrite guitar on the back. Musically they have some terrific moments, such as the well-known title track and an almost grungy "The Creeper." One could also say that "Rap City" predicts the entire era of rap music, but it would be a boldface lie. Still, this and some of the other band-composed numbers are enjoyable little instrumentals that don't try too hard to be anything much more than what they are. Which is an attitude that always worked for this band. Downside as usual are the attempts to experiment and throw in something new, an attitude that never works for this band. This time around it is an organ, ineptly played on the version of "One Mint Julep" that somebody must have decided wouldn't have sounded right without a keyboard on it. ~ Eugene Chadbourne

• Format: CD
• Genre: Oldies