Whether you were around at the time of the original release or not, this "jazz / funk / fusion masterpiece" never gets old and is as sort after now as it was in 1973!
The re-issue of the 'Closer To It' couldn't be better timed as Gilles Peterson has 're-visited' his jazzdance roots on his BBC 6 Music radio show and in New York this January! Gilles' mate and 'Crock Happy' partner Chris Bangs is estatic about the history and the remastered 6 tracks themselves and even birthday boy Sir Rod Stewart has acquired a replica of the Oblivion Express for his 00 gauge model railway!
Well, not sure about Sir Rod (Auger's mate in the 60s with Steampacket) which was follwed as leader with Trinty featuring Julie Discoll (the Auger/Discoll album 'Encore' was re-issued a couple of years ago - see review HERE).the Oblivion Express was where Auger's prowess as bandleader/composer/keyboardist/singer and more in the jazz rock soul fusion innovation with the monster Hammond B3.
Not convinced? Well how good have you got to be to take on a cover version of Marvin Gaye's 'Inner City Blues' and win? Well this band did perfected by Auger and Lennox Langton on congas/percussion. It's a shame it's not as long as the other cover, Eugene McDaniel's clasic 'Compared To What'.
Back to the dancefloor 'Whenever You're Ready' that features the rest of the band in addition to Auger and Langton, Barry Dean (bass), Godfrey MacLean (drums) and Jack Mills (lead guitar) and whilst Brian's vocals may not be of the stature of Discol/Tippetts it sounds a bit West Coast soul/yacht especially on 'Happiness Is Just Around The Bend' (better known by The Main Ingredient's cover version), 'Voices Of Other Times' and the big one down the Electric Ballroom, the instrumental 'Light On The Path'.
When you think that this album was released in the same year as Emerson, Lake & Palmer's 'Brain Salad Surgery' extravaganza, a trio fronted by Keith Emerson's 'classical prog rock opera' organ, 'Closer To It' definitely is closer to it, hence the longevity and all this new excitement for the best best train ever, the Oblivion Express.
NOTEL Vinyl LP ONLY 2025 // Digital 2023 Release
Artist: Brian Auger's Oblivion Express
Title: Closer To It
Release date: 24th January, 2025
Label: Soul Bank Music/K7
Cat. No: SBM019
Format: Vinyl LP ONLY
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