Fantastic Voyage

by Alex HendersonLakeside had one of R&B's most exciting live shows of the late '70s and early to mid-'80s, but in the studio, the Dayton, OH band generally didn't go that extra mile. Most of Lakeside's Solar albums were generally decent and had a few gems, but a consistently excellent studio album was something the group never achieved. The closest Lakeside came to a great studio session was Fantastic Voyage, arguably the band's best album. Some of the songs are superb, including the sweaty title track (a major hit), the intoxicating "Your Love Is on the One" and the unapologetically romantic "I Love Everything You Do." Though best known for hard funk, that and "Say Yes" point to the fact that Lakeside also delivered some memorable soul ballads. Other material falls under the heading of "good but not great" -- a phrase that applied to so much of Lakeside's work. [Sequel reissued the album in 1996.