{"title":"Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"70-super-pop-montreux-wu","title":"’70 Super Pop Montreux","description":"\u003cp\u003eRecorded on October 17th, 1970, just months after his previous group Brian Auger, Julie Driscoll and The Trinity had split up, this the first ever live Oblivion Express recording, captured on tape a year before this influential group released their first album. The set list includes early versions of their debut album’s tracks and amazing covers, including Herbie Hancock’s ‘Maiden Voyage,' Gabriel Fauré’s ‘Pavane,’ and Brian’s take on Sly and The Family Stone’s ‘I Wanna Take You Higher,’. The 12-page booklet features the band’s history from its formation, with Brian Auger recalling how festival organiser Claude Nobs gave the group this early opportunity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Repertoire Records","offers":[{"title":"2LP - Black","offer_id":51614160879947,"sku":"R8700-1489","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/CS1046559-01A-BIG.jpg?v=1744219100"},{"product_id":"straight-ahead-2","title":"Straight Ahead","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen \u003cem\u003eStraight Ahead\u003c\/em\u003e hit the shelves in 1974, it marked another bold chapter for Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express. The band—Steve Ferrone on drums, Barry Dean on bass, Jack Mills on guitar, and Lennox Langton on congas— was firing on all cylinders, pushing jazz fusion into fresh, uncharted territory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCritics took notice, with Billboard praising the album as “excellent in development and inventiveness, ” and it found its way onto multiple charts at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe journey begins with “Beginning Again, ” a lively opener built on Langton’s congas and Ferrone’s muscular groove. Auger’s electric piano sparkles here, immediately setting the album’s adventurous tone. Then comes their take on Wes Montgomery’s “Bumpin’ On Sunset. ” Darker in mood and drenched in atmosphere, Auger stretches out into improvisation while still honoring Montgomery’s spirit. The interpretation struck such a chord that, years later, Wes’s widow wrote to Auger to tell him it was her husband’s favorite version of his much-loved tune.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe title track, “Straight Ahead, ” shifts gears into funk, showcasing the group’s ability to slide effortlessly between genres. “Change” pushes further, blending rock’s raw energy with jazz’s improvisational freedom, driven by Auger’s command of the Hammond organ. To close, “You’ll Stay in My Heart” brings the tempo down with a tender, soulful ballad—an intimate ending to an album full of bold explorations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the time, reviewers hailed the record as a gem. One called it “a minor masterpiece of incredibly engaging and melodic keyboard-centric jazz-rock fusion. ” Another singled out “Bumpin’ On Sunset” as “the best reason to own this recording.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHalf a century later, \u003cem\u003eStraight Ahead\u003c\/em\u003e still resonates. It captures that fertile moment in the 1970s when jazz, rock, and funk were colliding, and artists like Auger were busy redrawing the map. To this day, it stands as proof of Auger’s fearless curiosity and his knack for breaking boundaries—music that looked forward then, and still feels ahead of its time now.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ROM","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":53471651856715,"sku":"R0152-1717","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/unnamed-2025-09-25T101708.221.jpg?v=1758791891"},{"product_id":"oblivion-express","title":"Oblivion Express","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut Records presents a fresh look at \u003cem\u003eOblivion Express\u003c\/em\u003e, the 1971 album that marked Brian Auger’s shift into a new musical frontier. After years spent shaping the sound of British jazz-soul with the Trinity, Auger stepped into the new decade with a leaner, electrified ensemble and a renewed sense of purpose. This record captures the moment that transformation took shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOblivion Express \u003c\/em\u003eintroduced a sound that was distinctly Auger’s own. Rather than echoing the fusion emerging in the United States, Auger developed a language rooted in the UK’s jazz underground, culminating in a spaced out jazz- rock \/ prog-fusion album awash with larger than life drum fills and Auger’s virtuosic organ playing. Between bassist Barry Dean and drummer Robbie McIntosh the album moves effortlessly between tight, articulated phrases and broader, improvisational passages. The trio’s interplay forms the backbone of the album and sets the tone for the sound that would define the early years of the Express.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlbum opener “Dragon Song” launches with a restless drive that immediately signals Auger’s new direction. Auger chose to record this version of John McLaughlin’s piece (his friend and former bandmate in 'The Niddy Griddys') after hearing McLaughlin’s album Devotion during its mix at New York’s Record Plant Studios. Auger was blown away, recalling, “Oh my god, this is amazing. I wanted to record that myself - and I did!”. Pieces like “Total Eclipse” demonstrate the Oblivion Express’ command of dynamic contrast, and title track “Oblivion Express” explores the cinematic and compositional prowess of the group through stripped back, building moments vs. explosive melodic breakdowns. Riff-heavy “The Sword” later became known through Madlib’s usage in 2014 tracks “Yeti Movie” and “Parodies”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn retrospect, Oblivion Express stands as a jazz leaning, prog-rock masterpiece and foundational moment in Auger’s catalogue. It captures the starting point of a new sound that is more focused, more urgent, and fully committed to the possibilities of jazz-rock at the dawn of the seventies. The album remains a vivid document of a band discovering its identity and setting the stage for the further array of influential releases that would follow.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":56263268270411,"sku":"R4289-7958","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Unknown_19b05777-2185-47f6-a224-ada4decec5ec.jpg?v=1767956009"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/fr\/collections\/brian-auger-s-oblivion-express.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}