Spaced Out may be famous for its jacket and title, but the opening cover of "Bond Street" rates among the best mod or Moog tracks. While it doesn't have quite the force to have become the first Moog dance hit, it does have much in common with Hot Butter's classic "Popcorn" (the first Moog dance hit). The album is all Bach,
Bacharach, and
Beatles covers, which get tiresome.
Dick Lieb's Moog interpretations of Bach are the best. "A Little Fugue for You and Me" sounds like "Bond Street" as
Hugo Montenegro might have done it, and "Petite Paulette" spotlights the Moog (well!). Apart from the Moog, innovative instrumentation includes funky basslines, fuzz-toned guitar, and mostly gratuitous vibra-slap. "Walk on By" and "Eleanor Rigby" are in the zone, but as always there's no escaping the studio wonkishness. If this be space, "Get Back!" ~ Tony Wilds