Artist: Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express
Title: Straight Ahead
Year: 1974
Label: RCA
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Flwrpt Rating of this Record: 4.75/5.0
Review
Classic!!! If you don’t know…you’re about to!!! Brian Auger is the man, a jack of all trades, if you will. The man plays almost ANY instrument that you can think of, but I won’t go there today, I’ll just let you know specifically about this LP. On this album, he is mainly freaking it on the hammond b3 organ…experimenting with a funkier upbeat groovy style. Normally Auger is bringing forth that rock/jazz feel. Not on Straight Ahead, this cat is proving that he can incorporate killer drum breaks, guitar riffs, pimp strut bass lines and quick-finger organ insanity…with the best of em’ (side note: Auger is one of the fastest organists that I have heard, he’s up there with Johnny Hammond in my opinion). I’d definitely say this is more of an album to have your head nodding, while just simply enjoying the sounds, arrangements, and the depth of this music. Straight Ahead made its way into my favorite record grouping, easily. I must share my excitement for this LP with you all…
Check out the sound!
Beginning Again
Straight Ahead
You’ll Stay In My Heart
Design
Intriguing to say the least. These cats rocked out with an outlined version of Avant Garde!!! Again,that font designed by the greatest…Herb Lubalin (you’ll see Herb’s name a lot throughout my blog, he’s the man…period.) Okay, so I am a huge fan of musicians who can do their thing on any type of keyboard, synthesizer, piano, organ, etc…so naturally when I saw this cover I was into it. Here you see an express train riding along the piano keys!!! So sick. This is also nothing more than a simple color pencil rendering, which is not THAT common amongst record covers, you’ll see them here and there, but they’re not SUPER common. Very creative approach to give the viewer an insight as to what’s going to be the sound driving this LP, so there is definitely a connect between the art and the music here. I consider this to be one of my favorite album cover designs, hands DOWN!!!
Additional info on Brian Auger
5 Comments
This one is definitely a DOPE record fo’ yo’ ASS!!!…HaHaHa…It’s doesn’t sound at all like what you expect from the record cover. The hook on “You’ll Stay In My Heart” was definitely used on some Hip Hop shit. Not sure which song, but I want to say the Fugees or maybe some D’angelo outtake recording. Somebody definitely used it though.
I’m sure you mentioned it to me in the past, but it’s good to finally know the source of ‘Beginning Again’! Based on the tracks that you have posted I’m definitely feeling the vibe of this album.
Positive: A++ Vibe…Will add to shopping list for future digging excursions!
lol.
nice work, dude
you’ll stay in my heart is killer!
could i get the link for this?