Customer Reviews

The Magnificent Tree

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

As Jason K said in an earlier review, it is unfair to compare albums as they all have quite unique sounds. Unfortunately, The Magnificent Tree simply does not hold up to repeat listenings. The first time I listened to it, I was really dissapointed. I loved Bluewonderpowdermilk and enjoyed their debut album, but TMT just doesn't have any stand-out tracks. It's agreeable enough background music and if that's all you want then it should suit you just fine. I expect more from my music and TMT rarely delivered.

The album starts out with the rather clumsy Autoharp. Nothing about this song flows. Perhaps that's the point, but the end results are pretty boring and doesn't capture your attention (a bad sign for the first track of an album!)

Mad About You is a pretty nice bit of pop. The orchestration is bright, reminding me of an old movie score. Geike's voice brings to mind images of paticularly adept lounge singer. One of the few songs that come close to being memorable, but it still ends up like sonic wallpaper.

Waves is an absolutely wonderful track. It's probably my favorite of them all. It takes all the nice things The Magnificent Tree's sound has going for it and maximizes it producing a lovely effect. The chorus is dreamy and stunning. More tracks like this in the future would be much appreciated.

Jackie Cane is my second favorite track. It wouldn't be out of place on a St. Etienne record at all. It's got a great retro feel without sounding OLD. The chorus is great and probably the most memorable of any track "Salty days for Jackie Cane..."

I love the title to this album. Something about "The Magnificent Tree" just seems really cool and it's a phrase that's just ripe for being made a part of a cool song. Fortunately track 5 does pretty deliver on most accounts. We start out with some really nice guitar picking and some beautiful voice work from Geike. It's airy and haunting and beautiful.

Vinegar and Salt is pretty forgettable in just about every way. I've often gotten involved in another activity and not realized I've even listened to it.

Frosted Flake Wood is just to bizarre for it's own good. Something tells me someone ate some of the mushrooms the song talks about before writing this song. The song is fun in a way, but it's slow and doesn't go anywhere.

I don't have much to say about Everytime We Live Together We Die a Bit More. I usually hit the next track button when I come to this one.

Out of Sight starts out with some more of the wonderful orchestration that is a halmark of Hooverphonic. It has a reasonably hooky chorus and a really nice sound. It practically cries out for deserved attention, saving what in the largely forgettable second half of the ablum.

Pink Fluffy Dinosaurs is a light peice of trippy fluff. There's nothing wrong with trippy fluff, but then there's nothing to celebrate about it either. Something about the track smacks of underachievement as well as thought no one could be bothered to come up with something to hold on to emotionally for the song.

L'odeur Animals - Slow. Very slow. Not a bad track to nod off too however.

Renaissance Affair (bonus track) - A song I already have, serving as a painful reminder of what Hooverphonic can do when they get going. Yeah. Nice Bonus.

All in all, if your a long-time Hooverphonic fan or just a fan of their earlier work I suggest you do pick up The Magnificent Tree. It's not wonderful but fans will appreciate it. If you've never heard Hooverphonic DO NOT get this album first. Do like I did and pick up Bluewonderpowdermilk, then the debut, and then this.

At first I was a bit disappointed that this new Hooverphonic album wasn't as icy and experimental as the last album "Blue Wonder Power Milk"; i.e. nothing as compelling here as "Renaissance Affair" (aka the song in the Volkswagen "vapor" commercial). Yet thankfully there's nothing as "out there" as the weird, male-vocal "Electro-Shock Faders", either, so really, this album is a compromise. A bit more commercial, but still a perfect blend of trip-hop and melody, with plenty of atmosphere and mood, a la the last song "L'Odeur Animale." My one complaint, and hence one less star, is the so-called "bonus track", the aforementioned "Renaissance Affair" - not a bonus to any true Hooverphonic fan who already owns the song, but rather a bonus to Sony to hopefully drive more people to this album through the Volkswagon commercial. The true bonus track should have been the 10-minute song "Visions" that appears on the import version of this album as a bonus disc. Why that couldn't be offered to U.S. fans is, again, an example of why the record companies will, and deserve to be, eventually usurped by the Napsters and file sharing softwares of the world. A great album, but at 42 minutes, is needlessly one song too short.

I happened to catch Hooverphonic live in Boston, on their tour with BT. I didn't know this band at all & I had just only heard of them, so I must say they had a great live show, and a great performance! The songs on this CD are all kinda experimental and yet, inviting and mysterious which draw me to them. "Autoharp" starts off nicely with Geike Arnaert, the main singer talking softly but it ends with Geike raising her voice to a magnificent chant that someone would only expect to come out from someone from the middle east. It's by far the best moment of the CD. "Mad About You" is one of those songs that just stick in your head and you wanna sing over and over, and of course I don't blame people comparing them to Portishead from this song, because they sound very similar to that band. "Waves" is again what the song title says, a nice wave of music and singing that resembles a ride outside in a clear night sky filled with stars, being carefree. "Jackie Cane" was wonderful when they performed it live. It is a rock song and the guitars are great!"Everytime We Live Together We Die A Bit More" is another song I always get stuck in my head mostly from the way Geike sings "everybody wants one, everybody's got one, everybody everybody wants to be loved", it sounds again very similar to Portishead."Pink Fluffy Dinosaurs" is also a gem!!! I adore the cute music on the background, and I find the lyrics very interesting (very tripping indeed)."Renaissance Affair" on the other hand leaves me totally uninterested, but the rest of the songs are nice too. This album gets spooky at times (due to the synthesizers) and at times very playfull, anyone trying to make sense of what Hooverphonic are thinking, won't be able to find the end of it. It's just a nice album to be enjoyed, and played often at your CD players.

Yes, as an album TMT isn't as good as the other two. However, the more I listen to it, the more I get songs stuck in my head and the more I understand that it is brilliant. The problem is that it doesn't hold together as an album. The cohesion isn't there. But what is there is a handful of solid songs a few of which verge on brilliant. The poppiest of these is Mad About You, a James Bond theme if there was ever a film about Bond's first puppy love. A couple of songs later comes Jackie Cane, a strange anthem about a used up girl. Frosted Flake Wood is maligned by some and yes it does sound like the theme to some trip-hop version of H.R. Puffinstuf, but I like it a lot simply because it's unique. There aren't a lot of songs like this out there. Finally, there's Everytime We Live Together... This song keeps growing on me. I don't have anything to compare it to other than to say that the title sets the tone for the piece. It's angry -- or at least as angry as Hooverphonic gets -- and bitter -- once again, as bitter as Hooverphonic gets.

I gave this 5 stars because despite its awkwardness as an album it is still worlds above most of what's out there. I'll take it for all its flaws as Hooverphonic are brilliant even if this as a whole is their weakest effort.

I dearly love Hooverphonic - in fact, they are one of my all-time favorite groups. So to all of you, I must provide a recommendation and a warning. First, please keep in mind that if there is an underlying theme to Hooverphonic, it is, "metamorphosis of the soul." Each disc they create is intentionally, vastly different; the CDs are like unique shards of the same crystal, each with its own beauty and shape.

And now, a recommendation: If you're after a top-quality, gloomy trip-hop sound with sensuous appeal, get A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular. If you want a gorgeous, strings- and synth-driven slice of ethereal pop, get Blue Wonder Power Milk. But ONLY after you own BOTH should you even begin to consider getting this one.

The reason for this? Well, on this release, Hooverphonic strive so hard to push back their own boundaries that they end up with an insincere adaptation of their own sound. Here, they almost sound like a caricature of themselves. Autoharp is clunky and abysmal; Mad About You is a catchy single that features vocals styled heavily in the direction of Portishead. Waves is adequate. It isn't until Out of Sight rolls along that we finally hear a top-quality Hooverphonic track, and even then, it seems like a pale echo of its own majestic ancestor, Battersea. By the time we've convinced ourselves that this album is "flawed, but pretty good," we're then listening to the sublime majesty of Renaissance Affair, which is there to remind us all how much more beautiful and confident their last two CDs were.

Don't get me wrong, there's some quality music here. But I fear that if you hear this CD first without ever having heard of Hooverphonic before, you won't try them again. (The band must have felt that way too, seeing how they felt compelled to put Renaissance on the end of the disc.) For die-hard fans, this is an acceptable purchase; for others, it's just flat-out disappointing.

Initially, I was not sure quite what to make of The Magnificent Tree. They begin in a Kraftwerk mood and then swirl in ethereal ambiance until the song simply disappears into emotion. I like the contrast of the initially cold electronica with the warmth in the ending atmosphere.

Mad about You begins on a more classic note and it quickly becomes apparent that the appeal of these songs are infused with Geike Arnaert's vocal magic. Her voice is soft and sexy like satin sheets slipping across velvet. She brings a sense of emotional reality to the rocktronica selections making this a perfect marriage of edgy electronica and romantic pop.

The Magnificent Tree inspires an increase in volume. The louder you play this the deeper the sounds appear, although the lyrics are somewhat mysterious. Vinegar and Salt has exactly that emotion although it is peppered with contrasts.

Frosted Flake Woods takes you out into nature where a magical forest sets the backdrop for a playful fairy tale mood that borders on eccentric.

Everytime we Live feels more like what I thought Hooverphonic would sound like because the sound sort of feels like it is being captured in a void or sucked out into space. They play with the lyrics in a labyrinth of pulsating sounds.

Out of Space has a slower mood and then Pink Fluffy Dinosours gets playful again like a child's lullaby. L'Odeur Animale has otherworldly appeal with ethereal sweeps and moody lyrics.

Poetic in places, an enjoyable escape. This album seems to be driving in the right lane. If you like Balligomingo, you will love this album. Mad about you sort of stole my heart on this album.

"Into never seen passion, never seen passion
That it why I am so mad about you
Mad about you"

~The Rebecca Review

Something smells funny on this album. The first few listens inspire the question - why the move away from the lucious, somewhat trip-hoppy feel of the last album to the superficial, somewhat cheesy pop feel of this one? It's OK if a band decides to change direction based on what they feel creatively, but here it seems a bit too much like an attempt to sugar coat the band for the media. Which of course brings up the second question - why include Renaissance Affair (again!!), the song that Hooverphonic no longer sounds like??

But going back to the music, the current version of Hooverphonic is simply not engaging. Strangely enough the live percussion feels boring and empty compared to the beats of the past, and Geike's vocals sound less intriguing, and at a couple of points even annoying, on the more standard arrangements.

It's OK to change styles and evolve, in fact it should be mandatory. But to this reviewer the new Hooverphonic is simply less engaging.

PS For the reviewer who mentioned the Orb, the song is *Little* Fluffy Clouds, and to me personally, the word Fluffy is the only thing the two songs have in common.

Of all the reviews written thus far, the most objective and accurate ones were posted January 24th & February 15th. Since Leisje left Hooverphonic after A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular, I have never EXPECTED the same band since. However, I have managed to find some delightful material from their output since, even if not consistent. I wonder if with Blue Wonder Powder Milk they were trying to force Geike's new energy with their old style ending up with the odd hybrid of an album ... but on Magnificent Tree, just finally went with what came naturally to the new group's dynamics -- personal relationships & having fun.

Due to the mediocre reviews this CD was receiving on Amazon.com at first, I wasn't sure if I'd buy The Magnificent Tree. Well, I'm glad I did. Seeing them in concert last fall convinced me to. The songs on this CD sound better live. Songs like "Jackie Cane" aren't so unpolished and dorky live. The band's energy shines through and they are truly entertaining. Geike obviously has vocal talent -- her influence on the band seems to have been overall more personal and lighthearted. The rest of the members seemed to have slacked a bit in their songwriting and fine-tuning. This CD contains, in my opinion, many obvious compositional flaws that could've easily been polished to perhaps a four-star endeavor. It is still wholly listenable, for the most part. (Vinegar and Salt is truly the only tune I usually cannot enjoy regardless of my mood.)

Truly, after seeing them perform this live and then listening to the album, it is obvious to me that all they tried to do was have fun with this CD. Some songs may echo of their earlier releases, but now it's in a fun sort of mimicking rather than injecting the full CLASS into the music that they're capable of. Yes, many will find the songs too trite to listen to. I can also see how some others adore this. As objectively as I can muster, I truly believe this to be a simple satisfactory three-star effort in the way it evens out. Geike has a beautiful voice but honestly has she found her limits on this disc. She tries on so many vocal masks - from hepcat lounge singer, to sexy songstress, to HECK, even a well-meaning Karen Carpenter demeanor (Waves)... Normally, music like this which ring of THEATRICS turn me off because of a lack of sincerity; however, Hooverphonic means no harm. They aren't trying to be pretentious or appeal to the masses. I think they're just having fun and exploring. When you keep this in mind (and I can hear it in every song), this CD's very listenable and enjoyable. It does have more of a pop sound yet enough variety to keep you interested. Some spots in many songs make me squirm, but I still enjoy it and even crave some of the songs that irritate me on a different day. Go figure! My favorites are Waves and Pink Fluffy Dinosaurs ... which aren't your typical style of "stand-out" material, mind you - but great. Perhaps it is the band's personality that keeps me faithful to their work...

For some reason, people seem to expect Hooverphonic to release the same album over and over again. The previous albums were great, but there is only so many ways you can interpret the same theme. With TMT Hooverphonic have avoided painting themselves into a corner by releasing an album of great pop songs. Yes, the songs have structure and lyrics. This may disappoint some, but hopefully fans will continue to listen and see where this takes Hooverphonic in the future.

OK I had to give this CD 5 stars to counter the people who gave it one star! While Hooverphonic CD's do in my opinion contain some fill that is pretty much just good background music, when they do hit they hit big. Some of their songs are so catchy or have such a dream like quality that I listen to them over and over. While I do agree that Blue Wonder Power Milk is better in some ways (guess I'll have to giveit 6 stars) I feel that with The Magnificent Tree Hooverphonic is evolving into more of a pop group. With songs that feel more like full songs and catchy hooks. What I think is so funny when reading others reviews is how Hooverphonic seems to be a group who make songs that people either love or hate. But there is no general consensus. One person raves about one song and another says it is garbage! There are songs for EVERYONE here! So I will end this by just putting in my own 2 cents of my favorite Hooverphonic songs from each CD: From The Magnificent Tree Mad About You has this great lounge singer feel to it. I can almost see Geike on a stage in a smoke filled room. I also love Out of Sight for it's pure catchiness. From Blue Wonder Power Milk, Battersea is by far my most favorite song ever. This song gives me chills and I can listen to it over and over again. It really brings me to another place. It even makes me happy to hear it on commercials and TV shows as obviously it means someone else agrees in its greatness. I also love Club Montepulciano for it's weirdness. From the first CD A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular I love the first 2 songs Inhaler and 2 Wicky because they have that dreamy quality to them that I love so much. In fact my sister played 2 Wicky for me saying "you have to hear this pretty song" and I couldn't get it out of my head! Which is why I am such a huge Hooverphonic fan today. Anyway my opinion is that Hooverphonic writes songs that will take your breath away.