The Magnificent Tree

{{Infobox album

| name = The Magnificent Tree

| type = Album

| artist = Hooverphonic

| cover = Hooverphonic-The_Magnificent_Tree.jpg

| alt =

| released = {{start date|2000|9|26|df=yes}}

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = {{flatlist|

Dream pop
trip hop}}

| length = {{duration|m=42|s=04}}

| label = Epic

| producer = {{flatlist|

Alex Callier
Roland Herrington}}

| prev_title = Blue Wonder Power Milk

| prev_year = 1998

| next_title = Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane

| next_year = 2002

| misc = {{Singles

| name = The Magnificent Tree

| type = studio

| single1 = Mad About You

| single1date = 2000

| single2 = Vinegar & Salt

| single2date = 2000

| single3 = Out of Sight

| single3date = 2000 (remix)

| single4 = Jackie Cane

| single4date = 2000

}}

The Magnificent Tree is the third studio album by the Belgian band Hooverphonic, released on 26 September 2000. The cover features the band in front of a tree in the town of Kieldrecht, Belgium.[https://www.google.com/maps/place/51%C2%B017'19.3%22N+4%C2%B011'40.5%22E/@51.288693,4.1924053,886m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d51.288693!4d4.194594 The Magnificent Tree on Google Maps]

Four singles were released from the album: "Mad About You", "Vinegar & Salt", "Out of Sight" and "Jackie Cane". The "Vinegar & Salt" and "Out of Sight" singles contain "Green" and "Sunday Morning", respectively, tracks composed for The Magnificent Tree that did not make it onto the final release. By November 2002, the album had sold 265,000 copies worldwide,{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QA0EAAAAMBAJ&q=hooverphonic+album+sales&pg=PA85|title=Global Music Pulse: Belgium|publisher=Billboard|page=86|first=Marc|last=Maes|date=16 November 2002|access-date=25 March 2019}} including 85,000 copies in Belgium alone.http://broadcast-history.com/Archive-Music-and-Media/00s/2002/MM-2002-11-23.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}

The U.S. release includes the track "Renaissance Affair" as a bonus track, which also originates from their previous album Blue Wonder Power Milk.

Background

The album cost 8,000,000 Bef ($170,000) to record, one of the most expensive Belgian albums ever, partly because the first three weeks of recording were thrown away, as the group were apparently heading in the wrong direction. The record company hoped to sell 500,000 copies, much more than the 150,000 of the previous two albums (the band just received a gold album for 25,000 copies of "Blue Wonder Power Milk" in Belgium).{{cite web|url=http://houbi.com/belpop/groups/hoover.htm|title=Hooverphonic|publisher=Houbi|access-date=25 March 2019}}

Composition

"The Magnificent Tree" contains a sample of "Guinnevere" (misspelled as Guinevere) by Crosby, Stills and Nash. "Waves" is remarkably similar to "Changes", a 1966 psychedelic pop song by The Association. "Vinegar & Salt" contains a sample of "Je Me Repose."

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

|MC = 57/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/the-magnificent-tree/hooverphonic |title=Reviews for The Magnificent Tree by Hooverphonic |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=6 January 2012}}

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-magnificent-tree-mw0000101234 |title=The Magnificent Tree – Hooverphonic |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=6 January 2012 |last=Wilson |first=MacKenzie}}

|rev2 = NME

|rev2score = 6/10{{cite journal |url=https://www.nme.com/NME/External/Reviews/Reviews_Story/0,1069,8023,00.html |title=Hooverphonic : The Magnificent Tree |journal=NME |date=12 May 2001 |access-date=3 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010517140822/http://www.nme.com/NME/External/Reviews/Reviews_Story/0,1069,8023,00.html |archive-date=17 May 2001}}

|rev3 = Q

|rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite journal |title=Hooverphonic: The Magnificent Tree |journal=Q |issue=171 |date=December 2000 |page=124}}

}}

The Magnificent Tree holds a score of 57 out of 100 on the review aggregator website Metacritic based on reviews from four critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". MTV.com felt 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", noting that "the nagging sense of something menacing behind these songs has practically disappeared."{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/mtv/music/reviews/hooverphonic_00.html |title=Hooverphonic: The Magnificent Tree (Epic) |publisher=MTV |access-date=3 October 2017 |last=John |first=Kevin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001210215000/http://www.mtv.com/mtv/music/reviews/hooverphonic_00.html |archive-date=10 December 2000}} 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".

Track listing

{{Track listing

| title1 = Autoharp

| writer1 = Alex Callier

| length1 = 4:21

| title2 = Mad About You

| writer2 = Callier

| length2 = 3:43

| title3 = Waves

| writer3 = Callier

| length3 = 4:01

| title4 = Jackie Cane

| writer4 = {{hlist|Callier|Cathy Dennis}}

| length4 = 4:20

| title5 = The Magnificent Tree

| writer5 = {{hlist|Callier|Geike Arnaert|Raymond Geerts}}

| length5 = 3:55

| title6 = Vinegar & Salt

| writer6 = Callier

| length6 = 3:20

| title7 = Frosted Flake Wood

| writer7 = Callier

| length7 = 3:17

| title8 = Everytime We Live Together We Die a Bit More

| writer8 = Callier

| length8 = 3:35

| title9 = Out of Sight

| writer9 = Callier

| length9 = 3:55

| title10 = Pink Fluffy Dinosaurs

| writer10 = {{hlist|Arnaert|Callier}}

| length10 = 3:50

| title11 = L'Odeur animale

| writer11 = Callier

| length11 = 3:47

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = French edition bonus tracks

| title12 = Out of Sight

| note12 = Al Stone mix

| writer12 = Callier

| length12 = 3:51

| title13 = Mad About You

| note13 = FK vocal mix

| writer13 = Callier

| length13 = 8:48

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = US edition bonus tracks

| title12 = Renaissance Affair

| writer12 = Callier

| length12 = 3:25

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Belgian limited edition bonus disc

| title1 = Visions

| writer1 =

| length1 = 11:04

| title2 = Mad About You

| note2 = Llorca's Radio Shot

| writer2 = Callier

| length2 = 4:24

| title3 = Mad About You

| note3 = video

| writer3 = Callier

| length3 = 3:53

}}

Personnel

;Hooverphonic:

Geike Arnaert – vocals
Raymond Geerts – guitars
Alex Callier – keyboards, bass, programming, string arranged on Vinegar & Salt, production

;Guests:

Michiel Dutré - cello on Frosted Flake Wood
Youseff Yansy - theremin on Jackie Cane & theremin and trumpet on L'Odeur Animale
Luis Jardim - percussion
Eric Bosteels - additional drums
Phil Chill - drum programming on Autoharp & Mad About You
Gota Yashiki - additional drum programming on Pink Fluffy Dinosaurs & cymbal and percussion on Out of Sight
Dan Lacksman - Fairlight programming and analog FX
Matt Dunkley - strings on Mad About You & Out of Sight
Gavyn Wright - 1st violin
Perry Montague-Mason - 2nd violin
Chris Tombling, Simon Fisher, Rebecca Hirsh, Jackie Shave, Eddy Roberts, Vaughan Armon, Dermot Crehan, Ben Cruft, Cathy Thompson, Pat Kiernan, Boguslav Kostecki, Mark Berrow - violin
Peter Lale - 1st viola
Bruce White, Bruce White, Bob Smissen, Katie Wilkinson - viola
Tony Pleeth - 1st cello (misspelled as celli)
Dave Daniels, Justin Pearson, Paul Kegg - cello
Mary Scully, Paul Morgan - basses
Children choir on Jackie Cane - Sarah and Catherine Butterfield, Elliot, Lewis and Chelsea Carpenter, Caitlin May Harris, Paris Starr

Charts

= Weekly charts =

scope="col"\| Chart (2000–03) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
{{album chart\|Flanders\|2\|artist=Hooverphonic\|album=The Magnificent Tree\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 September 2020}}
{{album chart\|Wallonia\|3\|artist=Hooverphonic\|album=The Magnificent Tree\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 September 2020}}
{{album chart\|France\|124\|artist=Hooverphonic\|album=The Magnificent Tree\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 September 2020}}
{{album chart\|Italy\|25\|artist=Hooverphonic\|album=The Magnificent Tree\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 September 2020}}

= Year-end charts =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (2000) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web\|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2000&cat=a\|title=Jaaroverzichten 2000\|publisher=Ultratop\|access-date=4 September 2020}} \| 17
scope="row"\| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia){{cite web\|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2000&cat=a\|title=Rapports Annuels 2000\|publisher=Ultratop\|access-date=4 September 2020}} \| 35
scope="col"\| Chart (2001) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web\|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2001&cat=a\|title=Jaaroverzichten 2001\|publisher=Ultratop\|access-date=4 September 2020}} \| 14
scope="row"\| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia){{cite web\|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2001&cat=a\|title=Rapports Annuels 2001\|publisher=Ultratop\|access-date=4 September 2020}} \| 65
scope="col"\| Chart (2002) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web\|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2002&cat=a\|title=Jaaroverzichten 2002\|publisher=Ultratop\|access-date=4 September 2020}} \| 93
scope="col"\| Chart (2003) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web\|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2003&cat=a\|title=Jaaroverzichten 2003\|publisher=Ultratop\|access-date=4 September 2020}} \| 36

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (2000)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2000&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten 2000|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=4 September 2020}}

| 17

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2000&cat=a|title=Rapports Annuels 2000|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=4 September 2020}}

| 35

scope="col"| Chart (2001)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2001&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten 2001|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=4 September 2020}}

| 14

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2001&cat=a|title=Rapports Annuels 2001|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=4 September 2020}}

| 65

scope="col"| Chart (2002)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2002&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten 2002|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=4 September 2020}}

| 93

scope="col"| Chart (2003)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2003&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten 2003|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=4 September 2020}}

| 36

Certifications

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Belgium|artist=Hooverphonic|title=The Magnificent Tree|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2004|relyear=2000}}

References

Category:2000 albums

Category:Hooverphonic albums

Category:Epic Records albums