The Nice
Ars Longa Vita Brevis -Immediate 1968
Tracks: 1. Daddy Where Did I Come From? / 2. Little Arabella / 3. Happy Freuds / 4. Intermezzo From The Karelia Suite / 5. Don Edito El Gruva / 6. Prelude / 7. Acceptance Brandenburger (3rd Movement Pf 'Prelude') (Mono Single Mix) / 8. Happy Freuds (Mono Single Mix) / 9. Brandenburger (Demo Version)
Comments:
The second album from the Nice has its moment but its also characterized by the same limitations as group's debut album. They were never really great songwriters, though some of their best songs are actually quite solid time-pieces. Vocally group also had difficulties with catching up with contemporary big names such as Traffic, Cream or Procol Harum.
I quite like the first three songs "Daddy Where did I Come From" ( somehow the melody line reminds me of Blur ), "Little Arabella" and "Happy Freuds" - all three psychedelia with a little touch of classical.
But who needs the Nice's version of the Karelia suite, which like the original side two of the album just feels longwinded.
The Brandenburger part of "Ars Longa Vita Brevis" is great, though. But the single version is in fact identical to it, so you don't have to sit through the whole 19.20 minutes.
Back to Band pages