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The Vinyl Whistle

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - Reinforcements

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - Reinforcements

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PRE ORDER - Release Date: 19/06/26 - Black Vinyl

Genre: Jazz/Rock

Strut Records presents a brand new reissue of the 1975 Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express original album Reinforcements.

A gem from the later years of the Oblivion Express band, Reinforcements sees Auger evolve from his early ‘70s jazz-rock fusions towards smoother jazz funk sophistication, continuing his journey from the previous year’s Straight Ahead. With two former Oblivion Express drummers joining Average White Band, there are obvious comparisons to draw as several tracks lean into groove-driven arrangements and polished mid-’70s production.

Never one to follow a predictable path, Auger crafts a steadfast, stylish album that captures the evolving sound of the era, offering a rich snapshot of mid-’70s British soul and jazz-funk. A fan favourite, the album also marks the return of vocalist Alex Ligertwood (later of Santana), whose soulful delivery is a highlight of many Oblivion Express recordings. He is joined by Jack Mills (guitar), Lennox Langton (percussion), Dave Dowle (drums), and new addition Clive Chaman (bass, flute) – a family affair with their various kids joining for the cover shoot, the full cast adorned in an array of fine mid-‘70s tank tops.

Album highlights include the heavy funk instrumental jam ‘Brain Damage,’ a dynamic, keyboard-driven showcase of Auger’s virtuosity alongside the burning latin jazz workout ‘Something Out of Nothing’ and soaring closer ‘Future Pilot’ taking us from our present day troubles to “thread the skies to a new location.” ‘Big Yin’ is a heartfelt tribute to former drummer Robbie McIntosh following his untimely death. As with all Auger albums, the energy is nothing but positive and soulful – his back cover quote states “May the love you bring to this world be reflected upon you.”

This new Strut reissue of Reinforcements is curated by Greg Boraman of Impressive Collective in collaboration with Brian and Karma Auger. Fully remastered from the original tapes by United Archiving’s Bill Smith, it is presented as a high-quality single LP replica edition.
 

Shipping

The Vinyl Whistle uses Royal Mail for national and international deliveries.

For UK deliveries, please allow up to 7 business days for delivery; expected delivery usually between 3 - 5 days. Delivery outside of the UK may take longer, please allow up to 15 business days for delivery; expected delivery is between 5 - 10 days.

We only do Signed deliveries for domestic UK orders, and Tracked deliveries for international orders with Royal Mail to ensure safe and quicker delivery of your orders.

 

Please note, The Vinyl Whistle accepts no responsibility for any package which is damaged, lost or stolen during transit. Compensation for damage or loss should be pursued through the claims procedure offered by the Royal Mail - contact us if you need help with this.

Return policy

Please contact orders.thevinylwhistle@gmail.com

We want you to be happy with your purchase from The Vinyl Whistle. If for some reason you are not entirely satisfied with the goods or service you receive, we ask that you contact us directly in order to resolve the issue.

 

Please be mindful of the possible age of some of our used vinyl when considering its condition.

Instore - Tickets & Events

If you have purchased a pre-order as entry to one of our instore gigs, you will be able to collect the vinyl or CD on the day of the event and get it signed by the performer or band.

We won't be printing tickets for this, please use your email order confirmation for entry.

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