Hooverphonic — The President of the LSD Golf Club (2007)
Release Date: October 8 2007 (Belgium); March 2008 (rest of Europe)
Artist: Hooverphonic
Label: Play It Again Sam (PIAS)
Producer: Alex Callier
Genre: Trip hop / Psychedelic / Electronic / Rock / Dream pop
Length: ~41:18
Studio Album: Sixth studio album by Hooverphonic
The President of the LSD Golf Club marked a psychedelic, organic turn in Hooverphonic’s sound, featuring more live instruments and vintage keyboards like mellotron and harpsichord — a contrast to their earlier electronic‑heavy work.
Tracklist
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Stranger – 4:37
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50 Watt – 4:47
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Expedition Impossible – 4:07
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Circles – 4:17
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Gentle Storm – 3:01
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The Eclipse Song – 3:01
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Billie – 3:37
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Black Marble Tiles – 5:33
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Strictly Out of Phase – 3:21
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Bohemian Laughter – 5:02
Special editions include bonus track “The Perfect Dose”
Credits
Hooverphonic Members
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Geike Arnaert – vocals
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Alex Callier – bass, vocals
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Raymond Geerts – guitar
Additional Musicians
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Steven Van Havere – drums, percussion
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Remko Kühne – piano, Farfisa, harpsichord, moog
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Cédric Murrath – mellotron, backing vocals
Production
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Produced by Alex Callier
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Recorded with many parts played live, emphasizing psychedelic and organic instrumentation
Reception & Impact
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Critics were divided: some called it one of Hooverphonic’s most experimental and daring albums, others found the sound departure bold.
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Lead single Expedition Impossible charted #30 in Belgium and received an international iTunes release.
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The album blends psychedelic 60s-inspired textures with modern pop-rock, showing influences from classic acts and contemporary indie.
Cover Art Description
The cover art is a surreal, dreamlike collage with astronauthooded figures and distorted carnival-like structures. The visual style combines psychedelic, retro aesthetics with abstract, almost theatrical imagery. The band’s name and album title appear in a handwritten style on a blackboard-like panel, reflecting the album’s eclectic and experimental tone.
Fun Facts & Trivia
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The album title was originally intended for The Magnificent Tree but wasn’t allowed by their previous label.
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Vintage instruments such as mellotron, Farfisa organ, and harpsichord were used to achieve the retro-psychedelic sound.
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Expedition Impossible features a more traditional rock arrangement than typical Hooverphonic tracks.
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This was the last studio album before Geike Arnaert’s departure in 2008, before she returned later.
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Some editions include a bonus track, “The Perfect Dose”, not present on the standard release.
Did You Know?
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The album’s title reportedly comes from a nickname a taxi driver had, inspiring the psychedelic and eclectic approach.
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Unlike earlier Hooverphonic albums, this record was largely recorded live with musicians to create a richer, more organic texture.
