This double-CD set assembles together all of the Immediate Records recordings of the Nice under one cover, reshuffling the contents of their self-titled third album in order to make it all fit. That means that it isn't a chronological experience (at least, not without some shifting between discs near the end of each), but otherwise it is musically very rewarding and, in keeping with the spirit of the band's music, a lot of fun. The volume level is not quite as high as one would have hoped on a CD of this vintage, but the source material is still very clean and there's a lot of detail with minimal extraneous noise (compared with early CD issues of this material) if one decides to push the amplification. It's also interesting to hear the Nice evolve from a psychedelic quartet to a progressive rock trio and get bolder and more intense on their instruments as they go along, culminating with the live Fillmore East performances from the third album. The annotation is reasonably thorough, and the whole package gives one a good overview of one of the groups that successfully bridged the gap from flower power to art rock, and in the process never forgot that the music was supposed to be fun as well. ~ Bruce Eder, allmusic.com
01. Flower King Of Flies
02. Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack
03. Bonnie K
04. Rondo
05. War And Peace
06. Tantalising Maggie
07. Dawn
08. Cry of Eugene
09. America (6:06 single version)
10. Diamond Hard Blue Apples Of The Moon
11. Azrael (version one)
12. She Belongs To Me
01. America (2nd ammendment)
02. Little Arabella
03. Happy Freuds
04. Intermezzo (The Karelia Suite)
05. Don Edito El Gruva
06. Symphony For Group And Orchestra (Awakening/Realisation/Acceptance/Denial/Extension To The Big Note)
07. Azrael Revisited
08. Hang On To A Dream
09. Diary Of An Empty Day
10. For Example
11. Rondo
Keith Emerson - Keyboards
Brian "Blinky" Davison - Drums
Lee Jackson - Bass
Dave O'List - Guitar, Vocals
[Rip and Scans made by CRIMSON]
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