Could it be that this, their fifth CD, far from being a rehash of their earlier releases, is the most accomplished, rich and satisfying of all their efforts? YES!

Though I love all their CDS, each one contain a few tracks that are throw-aways, too similar in melody and production to the other songs on the same CD. NOT SO WITH "Sit Down and Listen To: The Live Theatre Recordings."

It's title a line from the tune, "Lullaby of Broadway," this disc plays like Hooverphonic Unplugged meets 1960's French Cinema Soundtracks to produce one hell of a super chilled jazz-vocal menu on half the songs, and Edith Piaf meets Dusty Springfield to serve up smoldering torch songs on the rest!

ALL the best songs from "A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular," "The Magnificent Tree" and "Jackie Cane" are represented here; the only mar being the short shrift given "Blue Wonder Power Milk," arguably Hooverphonic's best CD before "Sit Down." After hearing these haunting reworkings, I longed to hear "Magenta" in a similar vein.

The best of these rearrangements is "2Wicky," from their debut, in which Geike Arnaert kindles the tension in this song with a staccatto phrasing that eventually breaks into an all-consuming, feverish singing! Running a close second is "Sometimes" from their fourth release, a stripped-down, peppier version that mines the essential sunniness is this previously snowy song. Finally, "Vinegar & Salt" from "Magnificent Tree," turns a saucy song into a dirge delivery of chilling proportions, building into a bonfire of a eulogy!

All is not brilliant retread, however. Two previously unreleased tracks, "My Autumn's Done Come" and "The Last Thing I Need Is You" buttress an already rock-solid album. Shockingly, "The Last Thing" could be an Alanis Morrissette song, with it's frank lyrics and get-back attitude! But it's still essentially Hooverphonic -quirky lyrics, odd time-signatures and minor-key melodies. If this is the sign of things to come, this spunky triphop, then I will be sitting down and listening for a long time to come!

This is my first Hooverphonic album; others' recommendations were spot on, the acoustic ensemble arrangements of their songs on this disc give the album a very coherent and mellow mood. Favorites include "Jackie Cane," "Antarctica," "Someone," "2 Wicky." If you're a big fan of their studio recordings, or the stuff you've heard licensed for car and cell phone ads, you might be taken aback - these performances are as if the band stepped into a smoky nightclub and played with Kurt Weill's backup string quartet. Recording quality is crisp and the sound presence on my hi-fi is great. I broke my Sony boycott for this one, and I don't feel a tinge of guilt.

Hooverphonic leaves aside their electronic-trip hop-drum & bass style and plays excellent jazzy-chillout versions of their most famous songs. Ideal to relax or.......

Really liked this album, the new tracks and my old favorites in a naked, simpler or more unfinished version of tunes I like. I started with Hooverphonic's first album in '97 or so, but in the last few months, remembered and looked for more, this was one of the last, and More Sweet Music/No More Sweet Music, and I liked this better than the other two. 2Wicky, the other CDs are complex mixes of sounds, rich, while this is not typical of what came before or since. Recommend this CD. My favorite of other releases is "The Magnificent Tree", I believe is the best, "A Stereo Sound Spectacular", "Blue Wonder Power Milk", "...Presents Jackie Cane" and the two mix/discs "Sweet" and "No More Sweet" - can hear a progression, I'll buy more but they seem to be waning. I like New, complex, fun, much is dark when you listen to/read the words. Other stuff I like, Garbage, Poe (2 cds), The Crystal Method, and Classics like Pink Floyd, Jimi, jazz & blues, a lot of Frank Zappa's music. I buy what I like and want to hear more of, but do buy blind based on cover art, recommendations of friends. Hooverphonic moves me most when the music sends chills up my spine or makes me want to cry. Frosted Flake Wood is my favorite on this CD and Tree.
- Tomcat bluepuma

Very interesting downtempo versions of the original songs. Extremely chill, beautiful, hypnotic, sexy. The live recording is quite fresh, and perfectly relaxing.