A Beacon from Mars

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox album | name = A Beacon from Mars | type = studio | artist = The Kaleidoscope | cover = A Beacon from Mars.jpeg | alt = | released = November 1967 | recorded = 1967 | venue = | studio = | genre = Folk, psychedelic rock, blues rock, Arabic | length = 43:50 | label = Epic | producer = Mike Goldberg, Stu Eisen | prev_title = Side Trips | prev_year = 1967 | next_title = Incredible! Kaleidoscope | next_year = 1969 }}

'''''A Beacon from Mars''''' is Kaleidoscope's second album. It was published in November 1967 by Epic Records along with the single "I Found Out" b/w "Rampè Rampè". At the time it was released it received good reviews,<ref>Platter chatt: albums from the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, Cream and Kaleidoscope. (review) (no author) (April 1968) Hit Parader.</ref> but like Kaleidoscope's other albums, it was commercially unsuccessful.<ref>Joynson, Vernon (1995). [http://alextsu.narod.ru/borderlinebooks/us6070s/index.html ''Fuzz, Acid, & Flowers''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825082620/http://alextsu.narod.ru/borderlinebooks/us6070s/index.html |date=August 25, 2011 }}. London: Borderline Books.</ref>

==Reception== {{Album ratings | rev1 = Allmusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="allmusic">{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r240309}}</ref>

}} Allmusic's retrospective review hailed the album as flawless brilliance, "the best non-compilation showcase of Kaleidoscope's legendary eclecticism and versatility." They noted the many styles represented by each of the songs, and deemed that "Every one of these disparate styles is performed with authority and commitment, and the result still has the power to amaze."<ref name="allmusic"/> The track "Taxim" is based on "Şehnaz Longa", a Turkish piece by Santuri Ethem Efendi. A 1968 music reviewer stated: "“Here is the most versatile band we have ever heard. You want ragtime? Listen to 'Baldheaded End Of A Broom' which brings back early Spoonful fun. Lovely bass, good mandolin and harmonica. How about authentic hillbilly music? 'Louisiana Man' hunts muskrats in the swamps to bagpipe-sounding fiddles, embellished in drums, of course. Or hard blues? They make good use of their instruments. fuzzed up on the tense, electric 'You Don't Love Me'. High register harmonica screams over a heavy swing bottom. Excellent tension contrasts. 'I Found Out' is a medium tempo folkish tune. 'Greenwood Side', is a slow, emotional Scottish ballad of death, again with bagpipe fiddles and death roll drums. 'Life Will Pass You By', is a Byrd-like song with hillbilly twang harmony and mandolin. 'Taxim' is a long oriental-sounding instrumental, featuring excellent musicianship on caz, oud, harp guitar.<ref>Platter chatt: albums from the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, Cream and Kaleidoscope. (review) (no author) (1968, April) Hit Parader.</ref>”

== Track listing == {{tracklist | title1 = I Found Out | writer1 = Earl Shackleford | length1 = 2:11 | title2 = Greenwood Sidee | writer2 = traditional | length2 = 4:17 | title3 = Life Will Pass You By | writer3 = Chris Darrow | length3 = 3:26 | title4 = Taxim | writer4 = Kaleidoscope | length4 = 11:23 | title5 = Baldheaded End of a Broom | writer5 = traditional | length5 = 3:15 | title6 = Louisiana Man | writer6 = Doug Kershaw | length6 = 2:46 | title7 = You Don't Love Me | writer7 = Willie Cobbs | length7 = 4:00 | title8 = Beacon from Mars | writer8 = Kaleidoscope | length8 = 12:32 }}

==Personnel== ;Kaleidoscope *Saul Feldthouse – lead vocals (tracks 1–3, 8), baglama (track 4), oud (track 4), bass (tracks 5, 6), guitar (track 7), gong (track 8) *David Lindley – guitar (tracks 1–5, 7, 8), violin (track 2, 6), backing vocals (tracks 3, 6) *Chester Crill (as Maxwell Buda) – organ (track 1, 8), harmonica (tracks 1, 5, 7, 8), violin (tracks 2, 4, 6), bass (track 3), piano (tracks 3, 8), backing vocals (track 7), harpsichord (track 8) *Chris Darrow – bass (tracks 1, 4, 7, 8), mandolin (tracks 3, 5), backing vocals (track 3), lead vocals (tracks 5–7), guitar (track 6) *John Vidican – drums (tracks 1–8), tympani (track 4, 8) ;Additional personnel *Peter Madlem – Dobro (track 1)

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beacon From Mars}} Category:1968 albums Category:Kaleidoscope (American band) albums Category:Epic Records albums