ELEGY

The Nice was a band brimming with potential, held back by its inherent constraints and aborted before said potential could be fully realized (probably for the better because ELP gave Keith Emerson a far more fruitful working environment). Emerson's composing skills were still developing, and while he already possessed a marvelous set of keyboard-playing hands and a good sense of showmanship, his bandmates didn't have very much to offer that could help the group transcend into something truly timeless. That said, Elegy is probably the best album The Nice ever released: the band only plays covers of other people's songs on here, and even those are really just excuses for Emerson to throw his prolonged, immaculately played jams, ranging from jazz- to classical- to ragtime-inspired, at the gleeful audience. Lee Jackson is still an awful singer but his space on the record is thankfully very limited (as well low in the mix). Overall, perhaps an acquired taste, but definitely something to check out if you're an Emerson fan.