In 1975, my father bought an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme that had power windows and an 8-track player. It was the first time I'd ever seen such niceties. I remember that the 8-track deck came with a tape bearing the elegant title Oldsmobile, which compiled songs that were popular on AM radio at the time. There was "The Theme from 'M*A*S*H,'" a Gordon Lightfoot tune, B.J. Thomas' rendition of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," something by Earth, Wind and Fire, and, I believe, a track by Dionne Warwick. My memories of styling in that gas-guzzling Cutlass, listening to that Oldsmobile comp, are some of my earliest and best. I'd kill for a copy of that 8-track now, just to hear those tunes laid out in order. Of course, it'd be impossible to track down something so obscure. But now, thanks to Arling and Cameron, I don't have to.

This is that Oldsmobile tape, remade by a couple of Dutch clowns in their own image. It veers from late 60's cabaret to disco to easy listening to lounge-- a retro blend which admittedly is not very original at this stage in the game. But through a combination of Arling and Cameron's sharp studio skills, their sure feel for genre, and most importantly, an unfailing sense of humor, these two manage, somehow, to make the zillionth such retro LP sound fun and cool.

Though Arling and Cameron are a duo, they bring an army of collaborators into the studio, from crack session musicians to singers of every stylistic and linguistic stripe. "Le Flit Et La Fillie" opens the album with a Continental go-go theme, "W.E.E.K.E.N.D." is a hilarious (and impressively accurate) homage to easy listening, with a man and a woman harmonizing on the virtues of each day of the week (and spelling out the chorus in a goofy Dutch accent). "Hashi" is a spy theme tribute to a drug-sniffing canine, another witty cut that includes echoing dog barks in a parody of dub style. "Let's Get Together" is a spot-on blend of house and disco that could've been recorded in 1980 if the engineers of yesteryear had a studio setup this sophisticated.

And so it goes for the 14 remarkably consistent but, naturally, far from groundbreaking songs on this strong collection; Music for Imaginary Films is retro music with tasteful modern flourishes and a good sense of fun. Now all I need is to track down a '70 Cutlass...

-Mark Richard-San