KALEIDOSCOPE
The Sidekicks Sessions 1964-67 (Alchemy)
Reviewed by Alan Wright

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Kaleidoscope are one of my fave British psychedelic bands from the 1960s, releasing two classic LPs before changing their name to Fairfield Parlour and unleashing the fantastic White Faced Lady concept album. Prior to that, though, they were a fledging mod-R&B band sharing stages with the likes of Them and the Who. This CD captures a bunch of crudely recorded demos, mostly taken from beat-up acetates. The sound is not perfect, with occasional dropouts in sound, hisses, pops and other anomalies often associated with old '60s acetates. Still, this is a compelling collection of music, showing a band finding their legs and honing their sound. There are passable takes of oft-covered songs like "House of the Rising Sun," "I Wants To Be Loved," "High Heel Sneakers," "Wee Wee Hours" and "Roadrunner," but it's the originals that show off their developing penchant for catchy tunes and inventive arrangements. Interestingly, it's these originals that also show more of a Beatles influence than the covers, which seem more Rolling Stones influenced. In particular, stuff like "Now She's Mine," "San Francisco," "What Can I Do?" and "Walking In The Park" are pleasant and engaging ditties. Of note is an early version of "Holidaymaker," which they would re-record in a more fleshed-out manner as Kaleidoscope.

© 2003 - Alan Wright