Exotic Moog

AMG Review of Exotic Moog

Tony Wilds
All Music Guide

Exotic Moog is the glittering grail for both Martin Denny collectors and Moog fans. There really is nothing else like it, and the LP is very much in short supply. The Moog in this case is one of the earliest synthesizers, which is more like a wondrously imaginative computer from a 1950s science fiction film than the more "realistic" synthesizers of today. Mostly because of the Moog's difficulty and sharp differentiation from traditional instruments, Moog records of the late 1960s tend to be disappointing musically. That is okay, however, because the camp value can be extraordinary -- the various beeps, clicks, and sprongs take even such warm tunes as "Spanish Flea" into the cold depths of space. Fortunately, the exceptional Exotic Moog ranks highly musically, almost on a par with the incredible work of Moog pioneer Jean Jacques Perry. Get this oddity if you can.