This spring's Record Store Day has been postponed (too many times), but when it arrives (yay!) be sure to look for this gem. Originally released in 1969 ('cause that's when the Moog was a thing), these songs sound both totally retro and utterly modern. The Moog is not the most adaptable critter, and yet Denny is able to wring whimsy and wonder, even as he explores the early electronic landscape.

Martin Denny Exotic Moog re-issue (Jackpot)

The limitations of the Moog are one of the reasons this album works so well. Kind of like sonnets, the structure is limited, but the artistry comes out within those strictures. And a modest perusal of the music here is enough to hear how much Denny has influenced electronic music.

Even as more advanced electronic instruments have come along (the Roland 808 is a another modestly less-limited electronic instrument with an unmistakable sound), the nuts-and-bolts of Denny's arrangements have lived on. While these cocktail party pieces seem miles away from the ambient, they're much closer than the horizon might indicate.

Oh yeah, and this sucker is a big ball of fun. If you want to get kicky, put the version of "Midnight Cowboy" from this album up against the Faith No More rendition on Angel Dust. Or just find (and revel in) the soundtrack to the original Tron. The more things change, the more we realize someone else already did them. Groovy.

Jon Worley