Search - Ventures :: Christmas Joy

A contemporary Ventures Christmas album for guitar lovers

Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 12/03/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Tired of hearing the same Christmas songs over and over again? Well, here is your chance to hear those overly familiar songs again and again, but this time done by the Ventures in their signature sound of twangy electric guitar instrumentals (The Ventures unplugged? Get real, America). To be clear, this is not the classic "The Ventures' Christmas Album" that the group released in the 1960s at the (relative) height of their popularity, but a 2002 release.



We are talking nothing but Christmas standards here until you get to the final title track, both secular (e.g., "Jingle Bells," "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," "Winter Wonderland") and non-secular (e.g., "O Come All Ye Faithful," "Silent Night," "O Holy Night"). Don Wilson and Bob Bogle are still around from the original lineup of the Ventures, and guest keyboard player David Carr tries to bring the group's sound into the 21st century, which is actually counter productive when you remember the Ventures had one of the signature sounds of the Sixties. This is especially true since they work bits of their hits, such as "Walk Don't Run," into some of the songs.



The last two tracks, a cover of José Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" and the group's original effort, "Christmas Joy," actually feature some vocals by the group. If you are thinking Marcel Marceau getting the one speaking line in Mel Brooks' "Silent Movie," then do not, because the vocals are on a par with what you would expect from guys in a Sixties group singing for the first time forty years later. Those were enough of a down note to have me round down on this one and to remind you again that there is a better Ventures Christmas album from the group from their heyday (see above)."

Christmas joy for you and me

Johnny Heering | Bethel, CT United States | 12/16/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Almost 40 years after the Ventures released their classic Christmas album, they recorded this second Christmas album. On that first album, they grafted the intros of recent hit songs, like "I Feel Fine" and "Wooly Bully", onto the Christmas songs. This time around, they dispense with the intros, more or less, but several of the songs do include subtle echos of classic rock and roll songs. For example, "Joy to the World" is reminiscent of "Pipeline" and "Feliz Navidid" is reminiscent of "La Bamba". Anyway, the songs are all played in the classic Venures instrumental style, with one exception. That exception is the last song on the CD, which is not an instrumental. It is an original Christmas song written and sung by Ventures founding member Don Wilson, who turns out to have a decent singing voice. This is a very good Christmas album that upholds the standards set by their first Christmas album. And it's twice as long as that first album."

Christmas Joy

Dan | Johnson City, NY United States | 12/22/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Just like the title says, "Christmas Joy" is a welcomed addition to the Ventures' first Christmas recording "The Ventures' Christmas Album". All Venture and instrumental music fans will not be dissappointed."