A Beacon from Mars

A Beacon from Mars
Studio album by The Kaleidoscope
Released	January 1968
Recorded	1967
Genre	Folk, psychedelic rock, blues rock, Arabic
Length	43:50
Label	Epic
Producer	Mike Goldberg, Stu Eisen
The Kaleidoscope chronology
Side Trips (1967) A Beacon from Mars (1968) Incredible! Kaleidoscope (1969)

A Beacon from Mars was Kaleidoscope's second album. It was published in January 1968 by Epic Records along with the single "I Found Out" b/w "Rampè Rampè". At the time it was released it received good reviews, but like Kaleidoscope's other albums, it was commercially unsuccessful.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

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."^[2] The track Taxim is based on "Şehnaz Longa", a Turkish piece by Santuri Ethem Efendi.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I Found Out"	Earl Shackleford	2:11
2.	"Greenwood Sidee"	traditional	4:17
3.	"Life Will Pass You By"	Chris Darrow	3:26
4.	"Taxim"	Kaleidoscope	11:23
5.	"Baldheaded End of a Broom"	traditional	3:15
6.	"Louisiana Man"	Doug Kershaw	2:46
7.	"You Don't Love Me"	Willie Cobbs	4:00
8.	"Beacon from Mars"	Kaleidoscope	12:32

Personnel

• David Lindley - guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin
• Chris Darrow - bass, vocals, guitar, mandolin
• Solomon Feldthouse - vocals, saz, bouzouki, dobro, vina, oud, doumbek, dulcimer, fiddle, guitar
• Chester Crill (as Fenrus Epp) - violin, viola, bass, organ, piano, harmonica
• John Vidican - drums, percussion

References

1. Joynson, Vernon (1995). Fuzz, Acid, & Flowers. London: Borderline Books.
2. A Beacon from Mars at AllMusic