Streetnoise (1969)
Somehow I missed this album in my initial coverage of Brian Auger's classic jazz rock works. It was part of an LP lot I recently picked up, and I was pleasantly surprised by what what was coming back on the first track. So I decided to tackle the entire two album package. At first I thought it might be a good fit for my Post Psychedelic, Proto Progressive With Female Vocals list. But as anyone will point out, the album is too diverse for its own good. A3 is a Nina Simone gospel cover, far - far - from my interest area. There are many other cover songs, similar to the Befour album mentioned below, but not as satisfying (yet still inventive). Nonetheless, the album remains quite interesting. I can listen to Auger play the Hammond all day long. He would have been a good fit for the early incarnations of Soft Machine. Julie Driscoll lays it all out there. She's a bit much at times, but there are certainly worse and more histrionic female vocalists during this era. She's strangely absent from Side 3, and that may be my favorite side since it features all original material. C4, though, is a vocal track (Auger singing?) and not very good. But the instrumentals are great as is Dave Ambrose's composition. The 4th side is pretty forgettable. Overall, probably not good enough for me to hold onto at this stage, but I'm glad to have heard it. If I were to grab some bonus cuts from it, I'd take A1, B2, C1, C2, C3. Maybe B3 since it's so strange in the way it flows.
Source: 1969 ATCO (2xLP). Gatefold.
7/8/26 (review) 
Befour (1970)
With Julie Driscoll out of the way, Auger was able to get back on the (mostly) instrumental jazz rock train. This would be the last outing from The Trinity, but it sets the stage for his work with Oblivion Express. Six of the seven tracks here are covers, but don't let that deter you as they are highly creative interpretations. Auger's Hammond is always a joy to hear, and Gary Boyle puts in a fine performance on guitar. 15 years after first obtaining, this is only my second outing with the music. +1 listen for me.
Straight Ahead (1974)
Straight Ahead is the 5th album from Brian Auger's jazz funk fusion group Oblivion Express. It's a solid follow up to their breakout album Closer To It, and musically very similar. This was not by accident as the album was clearly patterned after it, and its primary purpose was to have an album to tour the States with. Straight Ahead catches a groove early and never quits. Auger leads the way with organ, electric piano, and vocals. The latter is not something he's known for, but I quite like his vocal style myself. Smooth and expressive. Better than some of the professional vocalists he'd used on other albums. Hard to pick a favorite here, but I'll go with Wes Montgomery's 'Bumpin on Sunset', which interestingly enough I have a promo 45 single of. Excellent album overall.Ownership: 2006 Fuel 2000 (CD). Booklet with full historical liner notes and one bonus track. The latter is the title track recorded live up the road in Denver, appropriate since the album's existence was to play live in the US. Acquired in 2008.2008; 7/24/13; 9/20/22 (review)
Jools & Brian (1969)
A Better Land (1971)
Befour (1970)
With Julie Driscoll out of the way, Auger was able to get back on the (mostly) instrumental jazz rock train. This would be the last outing from The Trinity, but it sets the stage for his work with Oblivion Express. Six of the seven tracks here are covers, but don't let that deter you as they are highly creative interpretations. Auger's Hammond is always a joy to hear, and Gary Boyle puts in a fine performance on guitar. 15 years after first obtaining, this is only my second outing with the music. +1 listen for me.
Ownership: 2007 Fuel 2000 (CD). Booklet with historical liner notes. Includes three excellent bonus tracks. Acquired in 2008.
2008; 11/5/23 (review)
Straight Ahead is the 5th album from Brian Auger's jazz funk fusion group Oblivion Express. It's a solid follow up to their breakout album Closer To It, and musically very similar. This was not by accident as the album was clearly patterned after it, and its primary purpose was to have an album to tour the States with. Straight Ahead catches a groove early and never quits. Auger leads the way with organ, electric piano, and vocals. The latter is not something he's known for, but I quite like his vocal style myself. Smooth and expressive. Better than some of the professional vocalists he'd used on other albums. Hard to pick a favorite here, but I'll go with Wes Montgomery's 'Bumpin on Sunset', which interestingly enough I have a promo 45 single of. Excellent album overall.Ownership: 2006 Fuel 2000 (CD). Booklet with full historical liner notes and one bonus track. The latter is the title track recorded live up the road in Denver, appropriate since the album's existence was to play live in the US. Acquired in 2008.2008; 7/24/13; 9/20/22 (review)
Jools & Brian (1969)
A few years before the Captain & Tennille, there was Jools and Brian. A mixture of the pop of their day, with a way too talented keyboardist who should be doing more. Fortunately for all of us, Auger did just that. This album is OK for what it is, but unless you want to hear orchestrated standards with a vintage organ and female jazz pop vocals, then you're not likely to find much here.
Source: 1969 Capitol (LP)
8/27/21 (review)
A Better Land (1971)
Before everyone got all amped up about 180 gram vinyl, RCA went in a different direction with Dynaflex. I swear they weigh like 10 grams and you can fold them like a taco. The inner sleeve goes to great lengths to explain the benefits of Dynaflex. Pure salesmanship that's for sure. I'd heard this album almost precisely nine years ago, and managed to get some scratch off notes down. Here they are: "Regarding Brian Auger's first five Oblivion Express albums - starting with the debut and ending with Straight Ahead - four of these are considered progressive jazz rock classics. The other is a vocal heavy folk rock album, somewhat like CSN&Y meets America. See the problem? Something about tigers, leopards, spots, and stripes. If for some reason this is the only album you've heard by Auger's Oblivion Express, then the title track is the only song here that recalls the other albums, if curious." I did have a +1 listen last night, as Side 2 as a whole was better than I remembered. But that just moved it from average to good. Excellent gatefold cover. One of his rarer titles.
Source: 1971 RCA (LP)
7/8/21 (review)
Also own: Brian Auger's Oblivion Express; Second Wind; Closer To It
9/20/22 (new entry)
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