Audio CD review:
Kaleidoscope - A Beacon from Mars

Kaleidoscope - A Beacon from Mars

Band: Kaleidoscope Title: A Beacon from Mars Rating: Release Date: 19 August, 1997 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: I Found Out 2: Greenwood Sidee 3: Life Will Pass You By 4: Taxim 5: Baldheaded End Of A Broom 6: Louisiana Man 7: You Don't Love Me 8: Beacon From Mars

Customer Review Worth searching for. A BEACON FROM MARS is worth picking up as it shows the band's diversity off in so many ways. Kaleidoscope was a Los Angeles-based band in the Sixties which, despite talent to burn and an eclectic mix of styles which should've clicked naturally in the Summer Of Love, never broke out of cult status. There's mid-eastern-inspired jamming ("Taxim"), a nod to the blues ("You Don't Love Me"), a great counterculture anthem ("Life Will Pass You By") and inspired playing on bouzuki, oud and mandolin in addition to the traditional guitar, bass and drums set-up. Future Jackson Browne-sideman David Lindley was a band member and brings his skills to the mix. While this is a terrific album, some may be put off by the two long jams here; the best place to start for the Kaleidoscope neophyte is to search out for their first album, SIDE TRIPS, which has a tighter structure, or their compilation disc, EGYPTIAN GARDENS. Both are sadly out-of-print but worth looking for, and A BEACON FROM MARS is also worth the search if you're looking for a bit of the diverse. . You can see a complete list of all Kaleidoscope discography, or go back to the Kaleidoscope tabs