Moog Music: Annette Peacock

Annette Peacock: Pony and I'm The One
From: I'm The One [RCA, 1972]

I've never been slow in proclaiming my love of ballsy female singers on this site and today I have another selection for you in the debut solo album of Annette Peacock.

A gifted pianist from an early age, Annette's talent really came to fruition after her husband at the time, Gary Peacock, started touring with Albert Ayler's band in 1964. Over the course of the next few years Annette's songwriting developed as she started messing with the Moog (given to them by Robert Moog himself), releasing albums as part of The Synthesizer Show with Paul Bley.

Having split with Bley, Annette's first solo album combined the experimental improvisation of The Synthesizer Show with a more pop sensibility and the results are truly outstanding. At the time of release Peacock was being lauded as the female Bowie and it's not hard to see why as she combines experimentation with great production and song writing.

If all this sounds a bit out there let me bring you back to earth with the psychedelic funk of Pony. A bass heavy groove rumbles throughout the track as Peacock delivers a sultry vocal over the top. This is less avant garde jazz and more Betty Davis funk which, to my ears, is nothing but a good thing. Storming music.

The title track, I'm The One, is less funky than Pony but manages to successfully combine a beautifully produced torch song and wailing Moog as Annette's husky vocals are interrupted by electronic squawks and vibrations. On a page it sounds like a mess but on a stereo it sounds like great music.

For once I can happily tell you that Annette is still making music and released her latest album in 2006. More power to her.