Kaleidoscope (US) vs Kaleidoscope (UK) vs Kaleidoscope (MX)

they have dowloads of the mexican one, the US 3cd comp and a Fairfield Parlour album. i haven't heard any of them yet, still downloading

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd700/d772/d77238131a0.jpg

i see it occasionally and it got good amg reviews.

also, i share a last name with Chris in that band.

The first album by the UK one is good all the way thru, and features Dive into Yesterday which has AMAZING guitar and drums. The second LP is too twee but features the epic Music which has a spinning coin thru phasing sound that'll scare the fuck out've you if y're listening stoned on headphones.

The US one are all over the shop, from proto Sun City Gurlz Egypto stuff to Minnie the Moocher covers to breakbeats to well written, affecting songs. Also check their cover of Nobody w/Johnny 'Guitar' Watson & Larry Williams which is weird and funky.

You can't go wrong w/any band w/this name it seems.

I do like the US one quite a bit too though. Never heard the MX.

"Faintly Blowing," "If You So Wish," "Just How Much You Are," "Black Fjord" - those were some of their best songs.

Also, the thing about Kaleidoscope is that they were simultaneously the definition of twee and yet managed to remain a rock and roll band. There was always a bit of raunch to them.

and do they really sound kinda like ISB?

wins!

x-post - uh, it makes me cry, too, and so does "Sky Children" so punk yourself in the neck instead

x-post - Alex, what UK psych is twee-er than Kaleidoscope?

More like Ry than like Laswell, but much more of a goofball than either. That album's basically a very likable mishmash of reggae, New Orleans boogie-woogie and old-time rock'n'roll. And "Pay the Man" is a stone classic.

Well, I'm a bit late but here I am. Yes.... Kaleidoscope (UK), I remember liking them once upon a time but I heard them recently and found it all fairly irritating, thin stuff for the most part, I think I've outgrown it. Kaleidoscope (US), well yes they are undoubtedly all over the place and wildly inconsistent but when they're good they're fucking great!

love this

i wish there was a band that sounded like "music" (from "faintly blowing") all the time.

me too

kaleidoscope uk (+ fairfield parlour) > kaleidoscope us > kaleidoscope mex. but there's no going wrong with any of the three

Kaleidoscope US imo, but I like hick stuff and cornball americana more than cornball twee nonsense. I wonder if Jaxon ever got into the Chris Darrow solo records--I think the s/t and "Artist Proof" are both up his sunny california post-sixties mellow rock alley. "Take Good Care of Yourself" is an epic winner.

and yet you can't get into circus maximus. maybe you need some ars nova albums.

jerry jeff walker -vs- david lindley -vs- david grisman

psychedelic cornballs all!

I have both Circus Maximus records, but I rarely listen to them. They're okay, really, but they never had the immediacy for me that some of the best JJW solo records do.

i have never explored the lineage of david grisman but maybe i should. i think i always get him confused with stefan grossman.

maybe this is a weird facet of my taste, but i almost always prefer solo records by hippie cowboys to their sixties sike groups-- steve young > stone country; jjw > circus maximus; darrow > kaleidoscope; neil > buff spring; i think i like the wildweeds better than nrbq though. i prefer plaid to paisley and steel guitar to hippy stuff.

do you have the first 2 or 3 nrbq albums though? i like them a lot.

i like it all. plaid, paisley, its all good to me.

but i'm not that big on brad paisley.

i don't know which those are, skot. i never tried really hard with nrbq. i did like that al anderson solo record on vanguard, though, iirc. my fave nrbq song, really the only one i can think of off the top of my head, is "riding in my car."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRK2o3EkOUw

their first album where they cover eddie cochran and sun ra.

http://www.mixup.org.uk/photobooth%20archive/booth%20resources/photoboothsinpop/nrbq.jpg

second album on kama sutra. also good.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51upLR%2BBr1L.jpg

third album is where they really hone their barbluesamericana thing and also really good and fun:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61k7UIBUNaL.jpg

peter daltrey has just done a collab with the asteroid #4 called "the journey" and it's gorgeous

http://i.imgur.com/xxFbR.jpg

Great cover. Speaking of Chris Darrow, this somewhat caffeinated take, imported from Rolling Country via Can We Talk About Early etc, still spotlights some worthy tunes and atmospherics:
imported from Rolling Country (our discussion of early frontrunners of Top Ten:
Chris Darrow's twofer, s/t with Under My Own Disguise. from the early 70s, post- or late-psychedelic folk/country rock I'd say: he reaps the whirlwind, under inpenterable cloud cover, but re-orientation is no prob: dense but clear, as xgau said of Meltzer's best writing, And no up-in-lights oh wow factor, cause no lights. Lots of stuff going on, but mainly what gets me is voice-keyboards-bass-drums in the pocket, like on Fotheringay 2, Jessi Colter's Out Of The Ashes, Tell Tale Signs (and some other Dylan tracks, much older than Tell Tale Signs' outtakes, like "Ballad of a Thin Man"/"Dear Landlord"/"Down Along The Cove"/"If Dogs Run Free"/"Dirge") Vocally, a bit like Michael Nesmith, but this guy can hold a note as long as he wants to, and flex it too (might be some of that Middle Eastern in his alma mater, Kaleidoscope, but he always sounds like a cowboy, incl in UK with maybe some of the same people on Fotheringay 2, come to think of it-- although some of the "UK" vibe turns out to be from the L.A. sessions, and vice versa)

US Kaleidoscope's albums live up to their name, would also live up to Mixed Bag, Grab Bag, Patchwork, Collage, Random Shuffle--but not too random, can always tell it's them (not that I've tried to mix them with other sources). For fans of a barefoot, dusty West Coast Beatles' White Album and then some.

not that their albums reached White Album peaks of sustained catchiness, so another facile comparison limps home, barefoot and all.

OK, that could be interesting. (I think there are only 2 A4 fans on ILM but I am one of them.)

Love the US Kaleidoscope for first couple of lps at least, the 3cd box on Acadia is a great buy. They appear uncredited on Leonard Cohen's first lp too.

Have to agree with a poster early in the thread about the UK one. Daltrey's tweeness almost obscures the harder psyching nature of the band's music. Seems to have a real punch you might not notice if you concentrate on the vocals.
They've just had all the material under the Kaleidoscope name at least compiled on a 2cd set too.

Not sure to what extent I've heard the Mexican ones.
But I think the US ones are my favs.

the daltrey/asteroid album is great btw, it's no tangerine dream but it's a really really good mellow nu-psych record

Hmmm. I gave it a listen, and it's nice, but doesn't really seem to live up to the expectations. Like, I love A4 so much that it's just a bit weird and jarring to hear them with a different singer, when I love their regular ones' voices so much. Would probably listen to it again, but doesn't seem to live up to either bands' legacy. But with such huge expectations, it's not surprising they'd be dashed.

Just listened to Kaleidoscope, Shadoks SHAD130CD, 2011. "The band was not actually from Mexico, the musicians came from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Spain, and the album was recorded in 1967 in the Dominican Republic. The manager took it to Mexico where it has a tiny release of 200 copies on the Orlean label." Shadoks adds three tracks, the most engaging by far, on first listening anyway: "Cairo Blues" is kinda Steppenwolfstential, with some razory sustain (organ? guitar? both?) and unidentified sonics in backgrouns; "Take It To The Limit" is a bit (not too much) like Morrison Hotel Doors meet Lynyrd Skynyrd demos. These are credited to members Bodo Molitor and Frank Tirado, might be a side project w other players, cos the preceding studio tracks tend to lose momentum behind the organ. However, the whole band does well on a fast live cover finale, "Season of the Witch." Wouldn't mind checking a whole live set, and I'll listen to this whole thing again (maybe). Def those bonuses. But unless you're way deep into the garage clubland journeymen, save your Shadoks bucks for something else.

I have owned "From Home to Home" for a long time so Peter Daltrey's singing voice is a familiar thing..

Actually, I hadn't played it for some time, and remembered "In My Box" as being proto-Wire style punk. Then I heard it on a Vertigo sampler, and I realised I remembered it right.

i played a track from the second kaleidoscope (US) lp tonight on my radio show -- life will pass you by.

love it. chris darrow is the best.

Bloody hell Mark, you are so right about "In my box". I'd never thought of it like that before.

you could segue it with Outdoor Miner, no prob

The song about going to the zoo and playing with the winged tiger always makes me cry.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Friday, September 16, 2005 5:50 PM (7 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

THIS. I should not listen to 'The Feathered Tiger' when everyone but me has left the office and winter darkness has fallen outside ;_;

Kaleidoscope UK tour dates on the west coast - anyone heard anything about it? Lineup or anything? Pretty sure Peter Daltrey is in, at least.

Peter Daltrey now appearing at the Asteroid #4 gig in London on Sunday.

tbh probably not going to go any more because my bro-in-law saw them together and said it was TERRIBLE, that Daltrey's voice was shot and it was just embarrassing for everyone involved... but someone might be interested... or contradict that opinion. Mind you I haven't heard the collaboration album yet.

delurking to point out that the collab album is probably in my top 5 of the decade, though that says nothing of how his vocals stand up in live performance

got kaleidoscope US's "epic recordings" 3 CD set for xmas -- had only heard bits and pieces of these guys before. pretty cool stuff! super all over the place stylistically, but still very good.

Fairfield Parlour featured nicely in Salon of all places:

http://www.salon.com/2015/04/21/you_must_hear_this_fairfield_parlours_aries/

White Faced Lady!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFbJXy6TDrA

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/173001705774?ul_noapp=true

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYIMmYvA4M0

Chris Darrow one of the central members died last week

It was acknowledged on the Rolling Obit thread. He'd left the band before this footage was shot - from a film called "Captain Milkshake".

Kaleidoscope (UK) promoting their first single on French television. The two women at the start of the clip are Haydée Politoff, star of the Eric Rohmer movie, La Collectionneuse, and France Gall. Serge Gainsbourg can be seen later, smoking a cig (of course) and sat at a piano.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlXN6ITZXGI

I think I don't like Peter Daltrey's voice much. I did like some of the music by the band. I have a compilation of them from 20 years ago that I quite enjoyed but did find him a bit fey or something.

Do like the US version especially when they do extended jams with middle eastern flavour as I was reminded by rediscovering Mogollar recently.

& the Mexican group are pretty cool

Thank you for that video!

UK (Tangerine Dream) is one of my all-time favorite 60s psych albums. It's really twee, but dngaf - something about The Sky Children makes me tear up every time I hear it without fail. Like getting an (8 min!) visit to my own childhood imagination.

MX - s/t LP is one of the great garage rock records imo. For me this is the best Kaleidoscope.

US - Pretty great. "Side Trips" is worth tracking down. I guess David Lindley just passed earlier this year. RIP

UK - I know I've heard "Tangerine Dream" before, but remember thinking it was super forgettable. Maybe will revisit at some point

A Beacon From Mars and Tangerine Dream are both fantastic.

Yes, I was a bit sniffy about Kaleidoscope (UK) earlier in the thread but I listened to "Tangerine Dream" today for the first time in years and I remembered every note. I can see why people don't like them though!

I absolutely adore the UK band, not so familiar with the others. I’ve never really got the twee criticism. It’s probably precisely that element that makes me love them so much, and really they’re not one of the most twee bands from that scene (Nirvana, Blossom Toes, the Alan Bown, Picadilly Line etc).

I can’t remember where, but I’ve seen someone characterise Kaleidoscope (UK) as a precursor to Television because of their approach to guitar. Interesting way to look at it.

They are twee as hell.

Maybe they're streaming for free now, but back in 2012, this was my caveat to fellow headz (dunno if what I heard is the xpost first album that budo jeru digs):

Just listened to Kaleidoscope, Shadoks SHAD130CD, 2011. "The band was not actually from Mexico, the musicians came from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Spain, and the album was recorded in 1967 in the Dominican Republic. The manager took it to Mexico where it has a tiny release of 200 copies on the Orlean label." Shadoks adds three tracks, the most engaging by far, on first listening anyway: "Cairo Blues" is kinda Steppenwolfstential, with some razory sustain (organ? guitar? both?) and unidentified sonics in backgrouns; "Take It To The Limit" is a bit (not too much) like Morrison Hotel Doors meet Lynyrd Skynyrd demos. These are credited to members Bodo Molitor and Frank Tirado, might be a side project w other players, cos the preceding studio tracks tend to lose momentum behind the organ. However, the whole band does well on a fast live cover finale, "Season of the Witch." Wouldn't mind checking a whole live set, and I'll listen to this whole thing again (maybe). Def those bonuses. But unless you're way deep into the garage clubland journeymen, save your Shadoks bucks for something else.

― dow, Saturday, August 11, 2012

It's entirely possible that I should have listened more than once before posting, but I considered myself pretty tuned in to this kind of sound.

I believe the label was called Orfeon. I always really liked the guitar sound on this tune

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcaP2TZd5VU

Punked by old-ilx:

Thank you for that video!

UK (Tangerine Dream) is one of my all-time favorite 60s psych albums. It's really twee, but dngaf - something about The Sky Children makes me tear up every time I hear it without fail. Like getting an (8 min!) visit to my own childhood imagination.

― il lavoro mi rovina la giornata (PBKR), Tuesday, September 5, 2023 9:48 AM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

whenever someone says a song makes them cry, i wanna punch them in the neck and give them something to cry about
― Jaxon (jaxon), Friday, September 16, 2005 5:50 PM (seventeen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

They are twee as hell.

Nah I agree with houdini said. Their territory is comfortably more psychedelic than toytown, by and large.

You can be psychedelic and twee. Much of it is down to Pete Daltrey's vocals and lyrics admittedly. None of this is a criticism, by the way.

Never listened to it very closely before but the Fairfield Parlour album is every bit as good as the two Kaleidoscope album... BUT for the fact that one of the band has taken up the flute and insists on playing it on every song.