Far horizon (Brian Auger) (LP 2107 - 2109)

Donovan   Sunshine Superman (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1966) ****  

Brian Auger & The Trinity   Definitely What! (Vinyl, Atco Records, 1969) *** 

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express   Live Oblivion Vol. 2 (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1974) **** 

Genre: Pop/ folk-rock; jazz fusion

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: A Day In The Life (Definitely What!)

Gear costume: Sunshine Superman

Active compensatory factors: I got these three albums recently from Real Groovy on-line. I pick up any Brian Auger or Donovan albums whenever I spy them.

Sunshine Superman is a classic from 1966. Donovan's pop stylings and folk rock leanings are all there but now they are often in a band setting and with a creeping psychedelia. It's groovy, maan.

Definitely What! begins with an extraordinary instrumental version of The Fabs best song on Sgt Pepper - A Day In The Life. It's reimagined as a thriller jazz epic (Mission: Impossible style).

The rest of the album is a bit spotty. Brian's not the greatest singer and the attempts at humour have dated a bit since 1969. But the great is also here apart from the Beatles' cover. Red Beans And Rice (the Booker T and MG's song) cooks, (ha ha).

Eddie Offard (sic) is listed in the album credits as the engineer and he does an amazing job recording this album. It leaps out of the speakers and sounds fresh!

Five years later and The Oblivion Express sound is a long way from The Trinity's. We are now solidly in fusion territory and the band is in sparkling form.

I've been after this double album sequel to Live Oblivion Vol 1 for some time - it's far harder to get and was thrilled to pick up a pristine copy.

There is a real sense of band interplay and space in this version of the Oblivion Express and the lead vocal by Alex Ligertwood is much better than Auge's. Smiley face!

Where do they all belong? A couple more to chase from both men's oeuvre.