The Magnificent Tree

The Magnificent Tree
Studio album by Hooverphonic
Released	September 26, 2000
Genre	Dream pop
Length	42:04
Label	Epic
Hooverphonic chronology
Blue Wonder Power Milk (1998)Blue Wonder Power Milk1998 The Magnificent Tree (2000) Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane (2002)Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane2002

The Magnificent Tree is the third album by the Belgian band Hooverphonic. The singles released from this album are "Mad About You", "Out Of Sight", "Vinegar & Salt" and "Jackie Cane". The cover features the band members in front of a tree, in the town of Kieldrecht, Belgium.^[1]

Track listing

1. "Autoharp" (Alex Callier) – 4:21
2. "Mad About You" (Callier) – 3:43
3. "Waves" (Callier) – 4:01
4. "Jackie Cane" (Cathy Dennis, Callier) – 4:20
5. "The Magnificent Tree" (Geike Arnaert, Callier, Raymond Geerts) – 3:55
6. "Vinegar & Salt" (Callier) – 3:20
7. "Frosted Flake Wood" (Callier) – 3:17
8. "Everytime We Live Together We Die a Bit More" (Callier) – 3:35
9. "Out of Sight" (Callier) – 3:55 (Sometimes incorrectly listed as "Best Friends")
10. "Pink Fluffy Dinosaurs" (Arnaert, Callier) – 3:50
11. "L'Odeur animale" (Callier) – 3:47
12. "Renaissance Affair (Bonus Track)" (Callier) – 3:25

French release extra tracks^[2]

• "Out of Sight" (Al Stone Mix) – 3:51
• "Mad About You" (FK Vocal Mix) – 8:48, remix by François Kevorkian

Special Edition CD 2

The Special Edition contains the bonus track "Visions" and the "Mad About You" video.^[3]

1. "Visions" – 11:02
2. "Mad About You" (Llorca's Radio Shot) – 4:18

Singles

Of the four songs released as singles, "Mad About You" charted in several countries.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[6]

The album received moderate reviews from critics, and according to Metacritic holds a rating of 57/100.^[7]

MTV.com states that, with the album, "Hooverphonic's sound has become increasingly hip and cosmopolitan, slowly processing out everything that made it so alluring in the first place". Conversely, according to allmusic "Classic embryonic vocalic beauty from Geike Arnaert still carries the translucence of the band's signature ethereality" and "songs such as "Out of Sight" and "Mad About You" are thoroughly dramatic and make for an illustrious listen". ^[8]

In many ways, this was the album that brought Hooverphonic onto the world stage, with songs such as "Mad About You" getting attention in the United States, expanding their fan base further afield.

Personnel

• Geike Arnaert – vocals
• Raymond Geerts – guitars
• Alex Callier – keyboards, bass, programming

Notes

• The Single version of "Out of Sight" is the Al Stone Remix, not the album version.
• The Singles of "Vinegar and Salt" and "Out of Sight" contain "Green" and "Sunday Morning", respectively, tracks composed for The Magnificent Tree that didn't make it onto the final release.
• "The Magnificent Tree" contains a sample of "Guinnevere" by Crosby, Stills and Nash.
• "Waves" is remarkably similar to "Changes", a 1966 psychedelic pop song by The Association.

References

1. ↑ The Magnificent Tree on Google Maps
2. ↑ Discogs.com French release info
3. ↑ Discogs.com -- Sp. ed. album info
4. ↑ ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS
5. ↑ "Mad About You" charting
6. ↑ Allmusic review
7. ↑ "The Magnificent Tree" on Metacritic.com
8. ↑ "The Magnificent Tree" at allmusic