BY JOHN M. JAMES

Do you recall the classic electronic chirp of Hot Butter's "Popcorn" (the best selling instrumental single of all time) or the theme to TV's The Joker's Wild? You know the sound, even if you don't know the instrument, and current mix-makers and sample-ologists make much merriment with this original flavor -- the Moog synthesizer! This Tuesday brings a fantastic collection from Loud Records simply entitled Best of Moog: Electronic Pop Hits from the '60s and '70s, featuring the aforementioned "Popcorn" as well as tracks by Martin Denny, Dick Hyman and Hugo Montenegro. The set also features liner notes by inventor Bob Moog, the original version of Jean Jacques Perrey's "E.V.A." and a new remix of the song by Fatboy Slim, heard now as the national MasterCard television commercial theme. More old school fun is also on the way from the Beastie Boys' Grand Royal label, set to release At Home with the Groovebox later this year, a compilation following the electronic journey of a loaned Groovebox sequencer as it is given a workout by Beck, Air, Money Mark, Sean Lennon, Bonnie "Prince Billy", Pavement, Sonic Youth and more. ... News is trickling out on the upcoming Beck album, Midnight Vultures, now due Nov. 16 on the Interscope label (cassette and CD) and the Bongload label (for the wax, my brother). The first single will be "Sexxlaws." ... Looking to discover something new and be totally blown away? I strongly suggest twisting an ear to The Contino Sessions, the latest from Death In Vegas, a powerful, howling cacophony of Rock-throb akin to the best Trance-cubism of Bauhaus and Love & Rockets. The Time Bomb Records release weaves in and out like long distance radio waves, blistering at one moment, and extremely sexy the next, pulsating with electric energy and dark thrust. Guests vocalists on the album include Iggy Pop, One Dove's Dot Allison, Jim Reid of Jesus & Mary Chain and Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream. Highly recommended.

Television Alert
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Joan Osbourne on Thursday and Meredith Brooks on Friday. The Late Show with David Letterman hosts The Eurythmics on Thursday and Sting on Friday. Late Night with Conan O'Brien has Filter on Thursday. The Chris Rock Show on HBO has got Les Nubians on Friday. VH-1's Storytellers features Alanis Morrissette on Sunday. And Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is David Bowie.

Releases Coming Tuesday
And like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change... Air Cuba - Leap of Faith (4AD); David Bowie - Hours (Virgin); Victor Calderone - E=VC2 (Tommy Boy) hot DJ featuring a new remix of Madonna's "Sky Fits Heaven"; Clan of Xymox - Consolation (Metropolis) touring with Front Line Assembly this Fall; Melissa Etheridge - Breakdown (Island); Fastbacks - The Day That Didn't Exist (Spin Art) new concept album based on the title; L.R.D. - Darkdancer (Astralwerks) aka Les Rhythmes Digitales, this is hot new electronic dance-Pop from Paris; The Lilac Time - Looking For a Day In the Night (Spin Art) new from UK pop star Stephen Duffy; Bob Log III - Trike (Fat Possum) slide guitar madness from this Doo-Rag founder; Paul McCartney - Run Devil Run (Capitol); The Misfits - Famous Monsters (Roadrunner) look out for the release later this month of a Misfits comic book!; No Use For a Name - More Betterness (Fat Wreck); Michael Penn - Days Since a Lost Time Incident (Epic); Brendan Perry - Eye of the Hunter (4AD); Pilot To Gunner - Hit the Ground and Hum (Metoo!); Tom Rush - No Regrets: The Very Best Of (Columbia Legacy) 17-track compilation of this 1960s Folk scene star featuring one new song with Shawn Colvin; Snake River Conspiracy - SNC (Reprise); The Wedding Present - Singles 1995-1997 (Spin Art); XTC - Homespun: The Apple Venus Volume One Home Demos (TVT) with lyrics and band-penned liner note; Zen Guerrilla - Trance State In Tongues (SubPop).

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