AUTUMN TO SPRING

Along with King Crimson & the Moody blues, the Nice probably started the progressive rock movement. We can find elements obviously from early ELP, but also from Jimi Hendrix and from a quiet version of Led Zeppelin. The organ is the instrument by excellence on this record. There are some psychedelic & experimental parts, like on the crazy "Dawn" track. You probably heard about the famous fictitious HELP band, stating a possible reunion of Hendrix, Emerson, Lake & Palmer; well, this record partly shows a small preview: "Bonnie K" is probably the most representative track of how could have sounded HELP: a Hendrixian song full of dirty visceral organ. The anthemic "America" remains the best track and the most progressive one: it really sounds like ELP or even like early Triumvirat, as revealed by a symphonic, structured & dirty organ. The Nice show they can be mellow and a bit sentimental: indeed, "Cry of Eugene", among my favorite ones, is really catchy and remind a bit the first Genesis' album, especially the lead vocals. "Daddy where I come from?" is another good Hendrixian track in the style of his "Ezy Ryder" song, minus the wah-wah guitar. The sleeve of my LP shows a red mushroom with pale dots; the rest of the sleeve is blue.