Was there anybody else working in popular music in the 70's with even one tenth of the ambition of David Axelrod? Between '68 and '72 he recorded a string of incredible, utterly unique albums, including two orchestral albums inspired by the poetry of William Blake; a decades ahead of it's time concept album about climate change; a rock interpretation of Handel's Messiah and this, his concept album about the slave trade. And all in between his main day job as a studio producer.

The Auction continues the evolution that Axelrod's sound was going through in this period. The strings are gone, replaced by a pared down and more conventional band setup. The horns are sometimes used to create that familiar orchestral Axelrod sound, most notably on album climax Be Proud, my Race!, but the album as a whole is a move away from that heavy orchestration towards a jazzier, funkier direction. As on 1970's 'Earth Rot', choral vocals are incorporated, but whilst the vocals on 'Earth Rot' are a sticking point for some, here the gospel style singing fits perfectly with the tone and atmosphere of the music. Huge props must also go to the awesome Earl Palmer, who stepped away from his usual drumming role to conduct the music as well.