Did You Ever Have That Feeling?

The second of two albums that Jackie Lomax recorded for Capitol Records never even got released outside of the United States, which is a crying shame. Did You Ever Have That Feeling? was a long-delayed artistic triumph for Lomax, one of the greatest of unheralded white soul singers, after false starts throughout the 1970s. It's not a masterpiece, but Did You Ever Have That Feeling? is a beautiful record for much of its length. A far less introspective and more upbeat record than the previous year's Livin' for Lovin', it's filled with catchy tunes and arrangements and an easygoing mood, offering Lomax backed by an excellent soul quartet and a first-rate band that included Max Middleton on keyboards, with the singer playing most of the guitars himself. Not all ten of the songs are up to the same standard, but the infectious melodies of the best of them and the smooth musicianship throughout are all alluring. "One of a Kind," "Just a Little Bit O-Your Love," "Soul Light," "Part of My Life," and "Floating" are the highlights of a record that deserved to be heard at least a little more widely than it was. Reissued on CD in Japan in 2001. ~ Bruce Eder