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Track Listings
| 1. Faintly Blowing |
| 2. Poem |
| 3. Snapdragon |
| 4. A Story from Tom Bitz |
| 5. (Love Song) for Annie |
| 6. If You So Wish |
| 7. Opinion |
| 8. Bless the Executioner |
| 9. Black Fjord |
| 10. The Feathered Tiger |
| 11. I'll Kiss You Once |
| 12. Music |
| 13. Do It Again For Jeffrey (Bonus Track) |
| 14. Poem (Single Version) |
| 15. Balloon (Bonus Track) |
| 16. If You So Wish (Single Version) |
| 17. Let The World Wash In (Bonus Track) |
| 18. Mediaeval Masquerade (Bonus Track) |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
After hearing Tangerine Dream, which I enjoyed immensly, I was keen to investigate Kaleidoscope's only other original album (Other than Fairfield Parlour material.)and I was not dissapointed. I would, without hesitation rate Tangerine Dream as one of the very best British Psychedelic Albums of the 60's. As for Faintly Blowing, well I can truly say that this is better in almost every respect from its predecessor.
It is a little harder rocking than Tangerine Dream but the songwriting and lyrical content is every bit as strong. The opening title track starts things off on an incredibly high note, with the most fantastic descending baseline reminiscent of The Pretty Things circa S F Sorrow. "Poem" takes us back to a more TD sound, a beautiful melancoly track with wistful lyrics. "Snapdragon" returns to a more hard rocking sound and is incredible catchy and joyous. I could analise each track individually and write reams of script but instead I will sum up briefly. If You So Wish, for my money the best track on the album, has got to be one of the most beautiful songs ever, it transcends its time and genre and is utterly spellbinding. Black Fjord and Feathered Tiger are only a slight notch below, being absolutely awesome in their own right, the latter being compared (unfavourably to Sky Children) but in my opinion is the superior track in spite of SC being one of my most favourite tracks of the 60's. The Closer "Music" treads a experimental path but is so well executed that it steers clear of verging on incoherent and is one of the best of its kind. Only "Bless The Executioner" falls short of perfect and is still a strong track in it's own right.... Read more ›
It is a little harder rocking than Tangerine Dream but the songwriting and lyrical content is every bit as strong. The opening title track starts things off on an incredibly high note, with the most fantastic descending baseline reminiscent of The Pretty Things circa S F Sorrow. "Poem" takes us back to a more TD sound, a beautiful melancoly track with wistful lyrics. "Snapdragon" returns to a more hard rocking sound and is incredible catchy and joyous. I could analise each track individually and write reams of script but instead I will sum up briefly. If You So Wish, for my money the best track on the album, has got to be one of the most beautiful songs ever, it transcends its time and genre and is utterly spellbinding. Black Fjord and Feathered Tiger are only a slight notch below, being absolutely awesome in their own right, the latter being compared (unfavourably to Sky Children) but in my opinion is the superior track in spite of SC being one of my most favourite tracks of the 60's. The Closer "Music" treads a experimental path but is so well executed that it steers clear of verging on incoherent and is one of the best of its kind. Only "Bless The Executioner" falls short of perfect and is still a strong track in it's own right.... Read more ›
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this album on the strength of Fairfield Parlour's "From Home To Home", which happens to be the next album by the same band. They'd changed their name and dropped the psychedelic dressing-up in favour of a straighter pop approach.Though less experimental, the Fairfield Parlour album is a breathtaking, far superior effort, but "Faintly Blowing" is still worth buying.
It's quite a derivative album, the first three tracks bearing what seems to be a Syd Barrett influence. "The Story Of Tom Bitz" is musically reminiscent of The Beatles' "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away", but the lyric and delivery smacks of Dylan. The superb "Bless The Executioner" recalls Donovan and "Black Fjord" apes the orchestrated early efforts of Cat Stevens. Bearing in mind that this album was made in 1969, Kaleidoscope must have sounded a little outdated when they recorded it.
That said, "Faintly Blowing" abounds with good melodies, imaginative lyrics and much homegrown ingenuity. They push the boat out further however on the lengthy "Music", a spaced-out track that seems to aim at something akin to the improvisational feel of the early Pink Floyd but which veers dangerously close to "Revolution 9" territory.
Thankfully, the bonus tracks beef things up. A couple are merely alternate versions of other tracks, but "Do It For Jeffery" is a joyously catchy song and "Balloon" is rather chirpy. Not listed here by Amazon are two further bonuses. These are from 1970 and hint at the imminent transformation in the band's approach. Though slightly out of step with the rest of the CD, they certainly enhance it.
Overall, a worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in British so-called psychedelia, but for the best work by this band, check out Fairfield Parlour's "From Home To Home".
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Archy
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Two years on from their fantastic debut, Tangerine Dream, and Kaleidoscope have advanced both musically, lyrically and in imaginative arrangements.
From the stunning title track, which opens the CD with some fabulous guitar work from Eddie Pumer, to the wild extravaganza that is Music, there is an abundance of variety here that makes it astounding that this band weren't more sucessful. From guitar only, Donovan influenced folk, through commercial yet intelligent pop (Peter Daltrey's lyrics on this album are among his best) right to the experimental collage that is Music, there's something for all fans of late 60s music here. It's not just psych - though fans of The Sky Children, from the first album, will love The Feathered Tiger. It's simply great music, done with a style and panache that many many better known and more succesful acts could have learned from! Brilliant.
From the stunning title track, which opens the CD with some fabulous guitar work from Eddie Pumer, to the wild extravaganza that is Music, there is an abundance of variety here that makes it astounding that this band weren't more sucessful. From guitar only, Donovan influenced folk, through commercial yet intelligent pop (Peter Daltrey's lyrics on this album are among his best) right to the experimental collage that is Music, there's something for all fans of late 60s music here. It's not just psych - though fans of The Sky Children, from the first album, will love The Feathered Tiger. It's simply great music, done with a style and panache that many many better known and more succesful acts could have learned from! Brilliant.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
When they were good they were on par with Pink Floyd and certainly the equals of The Pretty Things, The Kaleidoscope were formed in England's South East in the sixties and would later change their name to The Fairfield Parlour. But before the name change they released two belting and shockingly under appreciated albums on the Fontana Record Label.
The Kaleidoscope had already achieved a reputation at Fontana for being one of the most hardworking bands on their books. Putting in time and effort to get the sound as rounded and as perfect as possible, staying clear of the pretentious world of stimulants and all the while maintaining a touring schedule with live shows which had the audience lapping them up. To top it all they were never short of radio play either, both on pirate or at the hallowed halls of the BBC. It therefore comes as a surprise that The Kaleidoscope are now really only known in collector circles.
Somewhere else on Amazon is a review of this band's debut, Tangerine Dream from 1967, which is certainly not overshadowed by the other Psychedelic efforts from that year. But it is to the follow up; Faintly Blowing from 1969 that we turn to today, with The Kaleidoscope at their pinnacle and most effortless.
Faintly Blowing begins with the title track and outlines that The Kaleidoscope are as gorgeous and trippy as they ever were. Track 2 then follows as it often does, but with Poem we have one of the most beautiful songs ever to be etched onto a piece of vinyl, it's just lovely. Snapdragon and The Story from Tom Bitz follow on nicely with a very, only in England poetic and psychedelic style.... Read more ›
The Kaleidoscope had already achieved a reputation at Fontana for being one of the most hardworking bands on their books. Putting in time and effort to get the sound as rounded and as perfect as possible, staying clear of the pretentious world of stimulants and all the while maintaining a touring schedule with live shows which had the audience lapping them up. To top it all they were never short of radio play either, both on pirate or at the hallowed halls of the BBC. It therefore comes as a surprise that The Kaleidoscope are now really only known in collector circles.
Somewhere else on Amazon is a review of this band's debut, Tangerine Dream from 1967, which is certainly not overshadowed by the other Psychedelic efforts from that year. But it is to the follow up; Faintly Blowing from 1969 that we turn to today, with The Kaleidoscope at their pinnacle and most effortless.
Faintly Blowing begins with the title track and outlines that The Kaleidoscope are as gorgeous and trippy as they ever were. Track 2 then follows as it often does, but with Poem we have one of the most beautiful songs ever to be etched onto a piece of vinyl, it's just lovely. Snapdragon and The Story from Tom Bitz follow on nicely with a very, only in England poetic and psychedelic style.... Read more ›
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