The Nice: The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack - 1968


Similar to the Vanilla Fudge is this madcap combination of heavy rock riffs and crazed organing, provided by no less than soon-to-be ELP-meister Keith Emerson. In true 1968 style it combines fuzzy guitar riffy rock, drugged out organ, classical influences, hippy nonsense and frenetic psychedelia. It is quite dated but also strangely appealing in its spacey, freakout way. 

Check out the loony vibe of the two instrumental jams, Rondo and War and Peace as well as the bizarre Dawn, complete with pretentious spoken.growled lyrics. All totally out there, but so redolent of its era. It is psychedelic, it is progressive, its is classically-influenced, it is heavy and at times it is totally glorious.

It has a great stereo sound too, guitars and organ taking turns to blast out of your speakers. Singer Lee Jackson (nothing to do with Python Lee Jackson incidentally) wasn't a great singer, though and he does himself no favours on the title track, which was a single. It sounds like The Beach Boys getting together with The Mamas and the Papas and taking lots of acid. 

The Cry Of Eugene is totally bonkers but lovable all the same, as is the hippy Who-ish Flower King Of Flies, apparently about Paul McCartney. It is all so very, very 1968 but still stands up as a interesting curio. I can't help but like it. So much so that I've played it through several times. Bonnie K just rocks, big time, man.

What was it with bands at this time titling songs after ludicrously nomenclatured characters? Sounds like something Pink Floyd would have done.

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