Lakeside - Outrageous 1984

 There is no denying that Lakeside are masterful purveyors of pleasant grooves and light electronic trickery. They were masters, too, of creating a party atmosphere. The trouble with that, however, is that what was novel in 1979-1980 was by the middle of the decade routinely commonplace, and Lakeside, who'd earlier taken the marvelous "Fantastic Voyage" to the top of the charts, now found themselves running with the pack. Outrageous continued the band's tradition of thematic covers, this time sending the group down the Nile à la Indiana Jones in a quest for the perfect groove. Indeed, even the inner sleeve furthered the joke with a printed map where "Outrageous" marked the spot with a decisive X. This is because as good as this entire set is, "Outrageous" is by far the standout. Reaching number seven on the R&B charts in spring 1984, the song is typically Lakeside, with a strong bassline and intricately layered construction; even better, it's included on the LP in its glorious 12" version. But the group was whipping out in other directions as well -- especially across the very Euro-discoed "Make My Day," which is replete with Giorgio Moroder-isms throughout. The rest of Outrageous flawlessly falls into place from there, from the more traditional funk stylings of "Restrictions" and on to several ballads, most notably "Baby, I'm Lonely" and the lighter pap of "Something About You," which is a successful combination of both styles. While this cannot be counted among Lakeside's best-ever efforts, Outrageous is still a cohesive slab of smooth, tight rhythms and entertaining melody.