Hooverphonic
Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane

"Presents Jackie Cane", in my opinion the great masterpiece of Hooverphonic, is the culmination of a journey that starts from afar, the final result of a constant crescendo of quality and personality as well as an intense and fascinating listen, absolutely perfect for those who love refined and multiethnic pop, with sensuality and vis vitalis as its founding pillars. This Belgian group, led by multi-instrumentalist and composer Alex Callier, debuted without impressing with the anonymous electronic trip-hop of "A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular", a record remembered more for its beautiful cover than anything else, but with the second album "Blue Wonder Power Milk" and the arrival of the versatile and charismatic frontwoman Geike Arnaert, they began to develop a richer and more personal sound, exploring lounge atmospheres and imprinting their sound with a stylish and moderately baroque touch. With "Magnificent Tree" in 2000 comes final consecration and deserved commercial recognition, thanks in part to a prestigious hit like "Mad About You", but evidently, it's not enough for Alex Callier; starting from "Jackie Cane", one of the most fascinating songs of MT, he gives life to this overflowing mix of glam, operatic-pop and electronics, one of the most beautiful, visionary, and underrated pop albums in recent history.

"Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane" is a theatrical work, a concept album; I won't go into the details of its story, suffice it to say that it speaks of ambition, hedonism, fragility, madness, rancor, revenge/redemption, and that the songs explore all aspects of this imaginary affair with a tragic ending. The sound is particularly eclectic, full of twists but coherent and in line with the concept's plot, and closely recalls other artists dear to me, especially the latter Bel Canto for musical genre and vocal affinities, and Marc Almond for themes dealt with, mood, and atmospheres. With such references, it goes without saying that HPJC is a "pompous" album, amplified, where everything is done in a grandiose way; I love it for this as well, but I understand that not everyone might appreciate this approach.

As far as I'm concerned, "Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane" reaches perfection: one of the most stylish albums I have ever listened to, a perfect script where nothing is left to chance; dramatic but fabulous, opulent yet extremely elegant. In the early moments of the album, a dazzling theatrical confidence seems to prevail, the ephemeral but resplendent charm of celebrity; "Sometimes", with its glamorous Broadway musical momentum, is a perfect and impressive introduction, much like "Human Interest", which almost seems to want to divert attention from its message: this operatic-pop gem introduces the album's leitmotif, a conflict that will soon reveal itself as self-destructive, but initially, the listener doesn't think about it, the majesty of the arrangement and melodic perfection masterfully steal the scene, emotional tension and fragility are cleverly masked to seem like a declaration of strength. Jackie Cane is a diva on the brink of collapse wanting to flaunt an apparent carefreeness and self-mastery, dancing with femme fatale moves to the exotic and coquettish rhythms of "The World Is Mine", flaunting an elegant and muffled sensuality in songs stylistically closer to the previous album "Magnificent Tree", the exquisite electro-lounge of "One" and especially a sumptuous piano ballad like "Nirvana Blue", with a truly splendid Geike Arnaert and an orchestral crescendo heavy with spleen.

This illusion of balance is not destined to last, and the awakening comes sudden and almost upsetting: "Jackie Cane is going insane, who's going insane? It's Jackie Jackie Cane..." an obsessive mantra, filtered voice, a sitar, bizarre and surreal atmospheres; with "Jackie's Delirium" everything changes, the mask falls, the illusion shatters like a crystal glass. No more sequins, evening dresses, colored lights, and chiseled smiles but opium dens, gazes lost in the void, and a now compromised psychic balance. A moonlit and poignant acoustic ballad, "Sad Song", the imperious and martial chorality of "Day After Day" with its Middle Eastern strings, and finally the abyss. The psychedelic reverbs of "Shampoo" and "Opium" and the lingering and decadent slowness of "Others Delight", step by step, lead towards the bitter ending; the lyrics, the music, the voice of Geike/Jackie, everything is shrouded in a sense of impending tragedy.

And there it is, finally, the inevitable conclusion, the murder ballad; "This last supper makes you even more beautiful, as if you were created by the master himself, 'cos you consist of imploding energy, let me save you from your unbearable hell...". "The Last Supper" is a dramatic moment, the piano marks a painful epitaph, but the atmosphere is more relaxed, poison becomes the only possible cure for a soul now lost, and the heartbreaking melody of "The Kiss" shows a Jackie Cane finally free, finally happy, "Don't try to avoid your destiny, accept the kiss with dignity, in this embrace you'll find relief, get rid of all your grief". A bittersweet happy ending for a wonderful and surprising album, also because I can't honestly say Hooverphonic has had an artistically high-level career; apart from the excellent "Magnificent Tree" and "No More Sweet Music", the rest is easily dispensable, after Geike Arnaert's departure I would even say avoidable, but this album truly stands on its own. Everything is beautiful, a concept not exactly unprecedented in itself but proposed in a truly sublime manner, with spectacular and classy music, simple and clear lyrics, and a voice that perfectly adapts to all the emotional states explored; had it been made by some English-speaking singer-songwriter with the press on her side and the right connections, endless praises would have rained down, that's for sure.