I Califfi - Fiore di Metallo. 1973 Italy

I Califfi are yet another band that spawned from the beat/pop tree of Italian prog rock. "The Caliphs" were actually quite popular in the 1960s, having released up to 11 singles. They reformed in 1972 right at the heart of the progressive movement happening in Italy. As such, their sound bridges the gap between the two eras. Their sound is somewhat similar to other bands of its ilk like I Santoni, Capricorn College, and Delirium's debut. It's a mixed effort with all-in progressive rock, singer songwriter ballads, and straight up rock n' roll. But there's a lot of "great" in this one, especially the instrumentals, so it's not one to overlook when doing your doctoral studies in Rock Progressivo Italiano.

Personal collection
CD: 2004 Strange Days (Japan)

Original LPs are very rare, more so than even the usual case. It's generally attributed to the lack of initial sales. The above CD comes in a fine mini-LP sleeve.

Last listen: November 1, 2016