Little Games

This expanded edition of the Yardbirds’ final album, 1967’s Little Games makes for a near-complete look at the Jimmy Page-era of the group. Producer Mickie Most was trying to retain their pop appeal, but the band were heading deeper into psychedelia and breaking on through to rock music’s other side. The acoustic meditation of Page’s “White Summer” would end up a Led Zeppelin concert staple alongside “Black Mountain Side.” “Glimpses” features the group chanting like monks while the instrumentation also drones towards hypnotic tension. The extra B-sides, rehearsals, alternate takes and live tracks make this the ultimate wrap-up for a band whose commercial achievements never quite matched their artistic successes. Jimmy Page’s B-side, “Think About It” features a guitar solo that breaks out of the relative calm surrounding him. A live version of Bob Dylan’s “Most Likely You’ll Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)” compacts the tune into less than three minutes. The early version of “Dazed and Confused” is essential listening for all Led Zeppelin fans. The song contains the seeds of what would become of the next decade.