THE THOUGHTS OF EMERLIST DAVJACK

I remember when I bought this album more or less 20 years ago, I thought it was only worth for the fact that Keith Emerson played with them and considered this record nothing special, reason enough to stay far away from my stereo for almost a decade until the early 90's. Then one day tired of the second class music of those dark years started to give a new chance to those old forgotten albums, and I'm pleased did so, because it's a very good album that learned to love with the pass of the years.

If I had to describe The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack in a phrase I would say it's a group of three very talented musicians and one genius playing classical Psychedelic album but ready to evolve into a prog' band.

But also to be honest, since the first time I listened this good album I was sure that even in the late 60's it was evident that Keith Emerson wouldn't stay for long with The Nice, he was too innovative and adventurous for them, and of course it's also easy to notice that Keith is at least 60% of The Nice.

I want to focus in three tracks, being the first one of course the title song which really captures the essence of British Psychedelia, but Keith's Baroque keyboards give a special and absolutely unique sound, it's incredible to listen all that noisy percussions mixed with complex vocal works that make me remember the early Moody Blues but in the middle of everything that incredible touch of Bach. Emerson was the guy that made the band different, without him The Nice would have only been a good Psyche band that almost nobody will remember today, despite the quality of Davidson, Jackson and O'List.

The second track is the loud Rondo, a bizarre song inspired in the jazz classic Blue Rondo a la Turk by The Dave Brubeck Quartet. In this case all the noise made the whole band (including Emerson) would mean nothing without Keith's Classical (in a generic sense) chords that appear all over the song, a beloved track that became the ideal closer for any ELP concert.

The cry of Eugene is one of my favorite tracks in the album, an experimental and powerful psychedelic ballad in which the vocals and the dazzling piano combined with the winds and the frantic guitar are simply spectacular, easily one of my top songs by The Nice.

Hughes Chantries who reviewed this album a few months ago mentions a new version with America as a bonus track, I haven't heard that version, but I'm looking for it because America is simply the best adaptation I ever heard by The Nice and if it's played with David O'List, it's something that must be listened carefully.

Not a masterpiece but a very solid album that deserves to be included in every decent prog collection, I would rate it with 3 1/2 stars but because this is not possible I will give four stars because its closer to this rating than to three stars.