Beautiful melodic pop by the brother of Peter Sarstedt, who scored a huge hit in the sixties with "Where Do You Go To My Lovely '. Although the songs are reminiscent of the years of "love and peace" they sound very contemporary.

Hooverphonic’s Alex Callier and Raymond Geerts have found quite the unique way to present their ten new songs. Five A-sides featuring five guest vocalists, and five B-sides with the same personnel. Everyone gets two songs, so no sad faces and no lack of attention.
‘I Like The Way I Dance’ is remarkable. Oftentimes, an artist will sing something along the lines of ‘I like the way YOU dance’. But not Hooverphonic. The main character is self-congratulatory. And why not. 
Alex Callier is very proud of ‘Badaboum’, the first single, but I think it’s the weakest track on the album. I can’t put my finger on it, but the song irritates me. Callier won’t care, though. On the contrary, ‘Badaboum’ is their first chartbuster in France since 2000. No more one hit wonder over there, then. Definite cause for celebration. The B-side to ‘Badaboum’, ‘Cocaine Kids’, is brilliant, including a funny fake disclaimer at the end (‘So why not sit back and relax and have a nice cup of tea and biscuits …’).
If you have money to blow, opt for the ‘In Wonderland’ box set, which includes five 7” singles, each with their own lovely artwork and colour scheme. It’s the pick of the vinyl litter.
You won’t find a new ‘Vinegar & Salt’ on ‘In Wonderland’, but it’s quite hard to write the best Belgian song of all time twice. Hooverphonic have long secured their musical immortality.

Helmut Lotti is back with a vengeance! ‘Faith, Hope & Love’ contains Flemish songs with English lyrics - similar to ‘Memories’, his excellent 1993 record. But the current album features new, self-written material too. A smart combo. Listening to the covers is akin to homecoming or meeting an old friend. The new tracks are bathed in the same atmosphere, and never feel out of place. Lotti is supported by a symphonic orchestra, recorded in Mark Knopfler’s ‘British Grove Studios’. An analogue approach, and it shows (or, well, ‘gets heard’). The sonic qualities are ample and warm. The Adamo classic ‘Insha’Allah’ is graced with updated, current state-of-affairs lyrics. The lovely theme from ‘The Deer Hunter’ gets a makeover as ‘Sweet Love of Mine’. The gorgeous vocals of the extremely talented Lara Chedraoui beautifully accompany Lotti in the enchanting ‘Hashivenu’. In our interview, Lotti stated that he isn’t a true R.E.M. fan. “But ‘Everybody Hurts’ is a nice song, and one I could work with. I slowed it down, like a Boston Waltz. The structure of the song becomes more clear that way. I’ve tried to improve the track’s dynamic.” Pretty good just ain’t good enough, though, for I still prefer R.E.M.’s version. Nothing wrong with differing opinions. ‘Faith, Hope & Love’ is a sumptuously arranged, expertly produced and expensive record. Helmut Lotti paid the price to pursue his perfectionistic dreams. If you have the money to spare, do opt for the vinyl version. Two records, four sides, 45 revolutions per minute. Wider grooves, high quality audio. Seldom witnessed in Belgium (my personal collection only includes Foo Fighters’ ‘In Your Honor’ in said quality). This move alone deserves respect, and turns ‘Faith, Hope & Love’ into an essential purchase.