Honestly, I have always hated Italian music: I was fed up with the opera while studying music composition in my university years; and as for all those pop singers in general, not only Italian ones, there is only a restricted number of those I consider of quality in the entire history of the phenomenon (most were already mentioned here under the respective hashtag #disco).
All the traditionally loved Italian singers simply make me sick.
So I asked a question on my Facebook, really not hoping to get any positive result out of it: do the Italians actually have any alternative or progressive rock bands of quality, is there anything beyond the primitive beats of tanti auguri or the like. Sung in Italian, not in English.
As it usually happens, one gets what one expects least.
As a result, I compiled a list of fantastic progressive and indie rock bands, of whom I mention those whose albums are worth listening to in integrity, not restricting oneself to one single specific track.
1970’s Italy is super rich in progressive rock: so, just in case, there is a marvelous YouTube channel, thegreatprogita (The Great Progressive Italian, see links), where many other albums are available, and I will eventually review them all.
For now.
Progressive rock bands of the 1970s, most of the albums coincide in title with the band name for it seems like most of them recorded only one bombastic album to sink into oblivion. Most albums contain lengthy and impressive instrumental rock passages:
× Biglietto per l’inferno (1974)
× Maxophone (1976)
× Campo di marte (1973)
× Alphataurus (1973)
× Banco del mutuo soccorso: “Darwin!” (1972)
× Alusa Fallax: “Intorno alla mia cattiva educazione” (1974)
Modern indie rock:
× Litfiba: modern indie rock band with experimental passages
× 7Grani: “Di giorno e di notte” (2011), be careful with the track “Faccia da sospetto” that might stick to your tongue and not let you go
First published in the Levinarium Telegram Channel (now closed and deleted)