Search - Keith Emerson, Nice :: With the Nice

AMAZING music; imperfect reissue

Henry R. Kujawa | "The Forbidden Zone" (Camden, NJ) | 01/27/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"THE NICE only ever did 5 albums; this package is a reissue that contains their 4th & 5th: FIVE BRIDGES SUITE and ELEGY. Much of it was recorded live, some of it is overblown and disturbing to the ears, but all of it is magnificent in its own way. I do have 3 problems with the CD, however. The sound is not quite as clear as it was on my old LP (I hate it when that happens). And strangely, 3 of the tracks are MISSING! Sure, "Country Pie / Brandenberg Concerto No.6" and "One Of Those People" were the 2 "off" songs from FIVE BRIDGES, and 2 different versions of "Pathetique Symphony, 3rd Movement" appeared between the 2 albums originally. But STILL... Finally, "My Back Pages" finishes the CD, when anyone who had the original KNOWS that "America" was supposed to be at the END! (Why do record companies do stuff like this? )For anyone liking this I strongly recommend THOUGHTS OF EMERLIST DAVJACK, ARS LONGA VITA BREVIS and NICE-- their earlier 3 albums."

Strange Edition!!!But NICE

David Elias Nader | Miami, Florida United States | 06/08/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Strange because this edition should contains the same tracks as in the vinyl and don't!!!There are 9 tracks in vinyl edition and this CD contains just 6 tracks.
Following tracks is lacking in this CD:
1-Country Pie/Bradenburg Concerto N.6
2-One of those People
3-3rd Movement,Pathetique Symphony.
Besides,in the back-cover is writed:"This CD contains material previously available on the albums Five Bridges and Elegy".
It's a lie!Now I wish to know:WHY?Does someone knows the answer?
I think is better buy Elegy and Five Bridges separately.It contains all material mentioned lacking in this CD."

ELP written in broad strokes

David Elias Nader | 08/05/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Keith Emerson didn't always have state-of-the-art synthesizers to produce his sound--at one time, he did it with one Hammond organ and one Steinway grand. Just imagine--pre-electronic prog! In later years with ELP, he would do probably one classical number on an album and incorporate jazz into the instrumental breaks of original numbers. But Nice used to fill entire albums with traditional jazz and classical in a rock format--an original number was the exception rather than the rule. The "Five Bridges Suite" featured here was a foretaste of such ELP epics as "Tarkus" and "Karn Evil 9", but most of Nice's talents ran towards arranging, not composing. Of course, Emerson hadn't found.Greg Lake yet. Except for a short period when David O'List was in this band, they didn't have guitar, either--bassist Lee Jackson didn't double on it. And you might find his "Popeye the Sailor" voice a bit off-putting--there's no resonant Lake baritone here. I didn't--I bought all of their stuff way back when because of how they PLAYED."