For a couple of years now I've been enjoying lounge- derived pop by Stereolab, the Sea and Cake, the Aluminum Group and other bands that owe a lot to the reviled AM radio of my '70s youth. During this time, I've cultivated an appreciation of precision recording techniques, tasteful instrumentation, and sophisticated song structures. I've questioned how, all those years ago, I could have missed the brilliant arrangements of Dionne Warwick's Bacharach- produced, pre- "Solid Gold" hits. I've even grooved to the xylophone. In short, I've become a pantywaist. But now, those days of swimming in the lukewarm sea of inanity are over, and I have the Cherry Orchard to thank for pushing me over the edge.

See, The Start of Our Affair should serve as a 150- decibel wake- up call that the '70s AM radio vibe is hopelessly played- out. Because as a record, it's both technically accomplished and artistically hollow to the core. What these songs reveal, with their stylish acoustic guitar mapping out the changes, the breezy horn arrangements, and the subtle layering of strings, is that this kind of technical exercise is just that: a series of motions and signifiers that hearken back to some fuzzy memory of pop music without having a thing to say, original or otherwise. The bland, sexless cover photograph of Jason Smith and Sara Onyett (aka the Cherry Orchard) tells us all we need to know: Smith is draped up in vintage indie- dweeb vines, clutching a vinyl record tightly to his chest. Alas, collecting records is one thing, and making them is another.

On song after frivolous song, Smith's fey voice sounds vaguely like Lloyd Cole as he warbles corny lyrics like, "Wake up, wake up/ It's that summer feeling of love" (from "That Summer Feeling") and, "Too many roads I've walked down/ Too many dreams clouded my mind/ Too many stars I've reached for" (from "Listening to Nancy"). With his lazy diction and trite subject matter, Smith can't even seem to convince himself that he cares about what he's doing. Bouncing around behind him are trombones, saccharine "bah bah bah" harmonies and violins. And, yes, xylophones. Man, it's time to check out that Lookout! sampler.

-Mark Richard-San