The Ventures - Only Hits (Expanded Edition) (1973/2022)

The double-album Only Hits doesn't consist of Ventures' favorites like "Walk, Don't Run" or "Apache"; it's yet another collection including Venture-ized versions of hit songs of the day, namely 1973. So here come instrumental surf-lite renditions of "Superstition," "Live and Let Die," "I Can See Clearly Now," "Alone Again (Naturally)," "Last Tango in Paris," and "Also Sprach Zarathustra," plus at least 20 others. It's easy to see that the world of rock was getting away from the Ventures at this point; the versions heard here are mostly rote and unimaginative. It's definitely for collectors only, unless you're easily fascinated by music history, because this album is a sure sign of the times.