It's easy to see why Nashville tastemakers like Ralph Emery were unimpressed with
Johnny Lee on first listen -- his relaxed style doesn't exactly ooze personality. But the MOR country-pop of "Lookin' for Love" is so appealing that one suspects it could have been a hit even without the publicity from Urban Cowboy. The 1980 album containing that hit,
Lookin' for Love, also includes the wistful chart-topping follow-up, "One in a Million," and the Top Three "Pickin' Up Strangers." Most of the album tracks sound quite a bit like the hits but with varying degrees of memorability (
Lee's own "Anni" is the best of the bunch), but the two slick rockers, "Down and Dirty" and "Too Damned Old," are awful. The presence of three of
Lee's biggest hits will attract listeners to
Lookin' for Love, but there are at least a couple of comparable album cuts that will sustain interest beyond the hits. ~ Greg Adams