Moog Soundtrack CD

Despite the fact that it produces some of the most distinctive sounds of any keyboard, and has appeared in countless pop, rock, jazz, and fusion recordings since the 1960s, the Moog synthesizer is often overlooked. MOOG is the soundtrack to Hans Fjellestad's film of the same name, which documents the work of Robert Moog and the creation of his instrument. While Fjellestad (also a musician) has a cut here that features the voice of Robert Moog, most of the soundtrack steers clear of overt reportage in favor of showcasing bands that have put the instrument's range to excellent use.

Two of the finest post-rock bands of the '90s--Stereolab and Tortoise--are featured here: the former in the bright, outré pop piece "Variation One" and the latter in the dark and dubby "Beautiful Love." Industrial experimentalists Meat Beat Manifesto coax a myriad of sounds from the machine on the hypnotic "Unavailable Memory," while P-Funk cohorts Bernie Worrell and Bootsy Collins churn up some Moog-inflected funk in "When Bernie Speaks." The space-age bubbles and burbles that link the Moog perhaps unfairly with a sense of '60s kitsch are still present, yet the artists featured here prove Robert Moog's instrument infinitely adaptable and a wonderful palette for invention.

Stereo Lab/Moog Cookbook/33/ Meat Beat Manifesto/TortoiseRolling Stone (p.110) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[R]ecent recordings by Moog-lovin' acts including Stereolab and Tortoise prove plenty of bleeps and bloops are still waiting to be created..."
Uncut (p.130) - 4 stars out of 5 - "The ripples and hums range from sci-fi shimmering to phased funky stews."
The Wire (p.66) - "The Moog Cookbook, Stereolab and Money Mark all strike a harmonious balance between raw analogue waveforms and studio polish, keeping things bright and busy."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.100) - 3 stars out of 5 - "Tortoise shows us the Moog's dark side with the brooding 'Beautiful Love,' while Stereolab's 'Variation One' is typically charming and cheesy."