LIVE OBLIVION VOLUME 1

You would expect the music on Live Oblivian Volume 1 to be better than Volume 2, but actually it is the other way around. As usual this album shows off the amazing high energy jazz rock keyboard playing of Brian Auger. Brian rocks harder than most jazzers, and is a little jazzier than most rockers, this makes him sort of a misiing link between the worlds of Jimmy Smith and Jon Lord. Unfortunately this album does not contain his best material from this era.

The album opens with Beginning Again which shows the bands main strengths, Stephen Ferrone's kinetic drumming pushing Brian's fast licks over a very unpretentious RnB/jazz groove. Brian has great keyboard sounds on this album, pure analogue B3 and Fender Rhodes with a bit of distortion and occaisonal tape echo. After that scorching opener things bog down a bit on Don't Look Away, which features their weak spot, the vocals of Alex Ligertwood.

Side 2 starts with Wes Montgomery's Bumpin on Sunset. Wes's original is a great peice of smart urban groove, but Auger's version seems a little slow on this album. To make matters worse Alex starts improvising vocals about how Wes "found himself". The song does get in one nice B3 solo before it grinds to a halt. The album closer, Truth, has the band back playing their trademark high energy two chord vamps, but the arrangement is too choppy and relies too much on the lead guitar playing of Jack Mills. Jack is OK, but no match for Auger.

This album has its moments, but if you want to hear this band at their best get Live Oblivian Volume 2.