I can take or leave M.I.A, her music seems gimmicky and insubstantial. OK so Paper Planes was a bit of a tune…

But her recent controversial videos and spats with her record company in America are all a bit dull. It would be better if she made a really good record actually and not just one Beyoncé talks about.

But the sleeve of her new effort Matangi pictured above was interesting.

It seems a clear homage to Annette Peacock’s awesome “I’m The One” from 1972.

See what I mean?

I’m The One was very groundbreaking in its day as it was very experimental in its use of synthesisers as heard on this track “Pony”  which was because Annette and her bandmate Paul Bley were experimenting with the musical possibilities of the newly emergent Moog synthesizer (of which they had an early prototype).

Annette invented a way to externally process and augment her voice through the synthesizer which is all over “I’m The One” but isn’t to be heard on this mental cover of Elvis Presley’s Love Me Tender which she sings straight up. 

It is a collectible record for jazz and avant funk people, but to be honest it is pretty unlistenable. Interesting but difficult.

So they probably have more in common than the sleeves.

-TH

Bonus Moog madness - If you dig weird Moog the Paul Bley Synthesizer Show would be right up your alley, get your ears around this track off it ’Snakes’