A compelling, largely undigested stew of psychedelia, r&b, and their own idiosyncratic musical fetishes, The Nice's debut album displayed a band whose shaggy artisanship had more in common with contemporary alt.rock than the bloated prog Keith Emerson's later ELP would come to epitomize. The band (who reformed for a warmly received European tour and live album in 2001-2) may have had its humble origins as the back-up band for former Ikette P.P Arnold, but its aggressive obliqueness outside those r&b circles quickly made it into one of the UK's premiere art rock powerhouses. While the album lacks some of the inventive, rough-hewn grace displayed on later covers of Dylan and Tim Hardin, their aggressive takes of "Rondo" (from Brubeck's "Blue Rondo ala Turk") and Leonard Bernstein's "America" (an American flag-torching, Vietnam-protesting performance of which at the Albert Hall was said to drive the composer to attempted censorship) became band hallmarks. Powered by Emerson's nimble keyboards, cult-fave David O'List's unhinged psych-guitar, Lee Jackson's gruff vocals, and drummer Brian Davison's driving beat, their originals here range from the bouncy pop of "Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack" to the stream-of-consciousness soundscape "Dawn." This new release features a generous slate of bonus cuts, including single and extended versions of "America," chunky early versions of "Flower King of Flies" and "Daddy, Where Did I Come From" as well B-sides of "Azrael" (in a beefy early version) and "Diamond Hard Apples of the Moon," making it the definitive edition of a proto-prog classic. (by Jerry McCulley)
Personnel:
Brian Davison (drums, percussion)
Keith Emerson (keyboards, backround vocals)
Lee Jackson (vocals, bass, guitar, percussion)
David O'List (guitar, flute, trumpet, background vocals)
Tracklist:
01. Flower King Of Flies (Emerson/Jackson) 3.19
02. Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack (Emerson/ O´List) 2.49
03. Bonnie K (Jackson/O´List) 3.24
04. Rondo (Brubeck/Bach) 8.22
05. War And Peace (Davison/Emerson/Jackson/O´List) 5.13
06. Tantalizing Maggie (Emerson/Jackson)
07. Dawn (Davison/Emerson/Jackson) 5.17
08. The Cry Of Eugene (Emerson/Jackson/O´List) 4.36
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09. Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack (single version) (Emerson/ O´List) 2.48
10. Azrial (Angel Of Death) (Emerson/Jackson) 3.44
11. Diamond Hard Blue Apples Of The Moon (Davison/Jackson) 2.47
ARMU 2317 (zippyshare)