Little Wing

by Dave ThompsonLittle Wing is one of the most adventurous albums in White's lengthy canon -- adventurous and esoteric. The opening "Discoveri" still feels as though it could have emerged from a Peter Gabriel session, at least until White's guitar kicks into play, and lays waste to all around it. Deeply immersed in the blues, but with an eye for many of the same musical notions that rendered Jeff Beck's turn-of-the-century output such a wonder, Little Wing packs no less than half a dozen stone cold White classics, including the electrifying power ballad "Long Distance Loving" and a truly eye-opening arrangement of the Jimi Hendrix-penned title track. Indeed, if the album has any downside at all, it's that the first half is so heavily weighed down with jewels that the remainder simply cannot compete, and the listener's attention really does start to wander. But there's a simple solution to that, of course. Just set your player on random, and listen to Little Wing take flight.