Crystals / Crystals (1973)

Italy

Hard Rock

Now imagine a group but a “supergroup”. On top of that, let this group be Italian. In addition, its members should consist of Alphataurus, Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM) and Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno. Another…?

Oh, but this group shouldn't be able to record and release a lot of albums in 1973, when it was founded! It would be a big disappointment. It's true though, they didn't really pull it out at that time. The album was prepared for 1974, but it could not be released because the group disbanded, but it was released as a CD in 1992.

By the way, Crystals is a hard rock album apart from the progressive, symphonic and sometimes folk-influenced bands we mentioned above. Of course, it naturally contains progressive effects, but its foundation is very solid.

You realize what you are up against when you hear the introduction of Wrought Iron, the opening track of the album. There are no vocals in the piece, which continues non-stop, with a running pace, it is purely instrumental. The next Time Out comes to the fore with the basses in the intro and the vocals of Carlo Degani. While listening to the intermediate track, one's mind goes to Budgie. The attention to the guitar solo and vocal intro in the middle of Time Out is really impressive.

Feeling is the heavy tone track of the album. A heartwarming vocal on a classical guitar melody and plenty of slide guitar. If She's Still Mine, which comes after it, similarly starts as if it were a slow tempo, and after a while it literally chirps and turns into a "guitar ballad". Towards the end, the control is completely lost and they finish the piece as they started with a sudden turn.

As the name suggests, Sad Story, while telling a painful story, starts with a hurtful structure at the entrance and takes on a harder structure after the vocal. While the 6th track Persian Carpet develops with a flat vocal technique but a rhythmic melody, our delightful substance, Crystals, comes to an end with the intricately structured Policeman, which I personally don't include on the playlist, and the instrumental piece Woman Under Water, which turns the album's ending into a very beginning.

Members

Carlo Degani (vocals, percussion), Nanni Civitenga (guitar), Marcello Todaro (guitar), Giorgio Piazza (bass), Giorgio Santandrea (drums)

Track Listing

1. Wrought Iron (4:00)

2. Time Out (3:14)

3. Feeling (5:00)

4. If She's Still Mine (3:56)

5. Sad Story (5:42)

6. Persian Carpet (3:53)

7. Policeman (4:31)

8. Women Under Water (4:13)

YANDEX