Dear Catastrophe Waitress, By Belle and Sebastian

I held off on discovering Belle and Sabastian for a long time. I guess I was turned off by their name, and I didn't really know what to expect because nobody could compare their sound to anybody else. When I finally got around to giving them a chance, I bought Dear Catastrophe Waitress, and I wasn't disappointed. Since then, I went back and picked up a few of their earlier albums, and Belle and Sabastian have become one of my favorite groups.

I like Dear Catastrophe Waitress better than their previous recordings. This album's arrangements are much more dense and layered than previous work, most likely the result of the production of Trevor Horn. Lead singer Stuart Murdoch's vocals are less timid, and he sounds comfortable being backed by strings and horns. This has upset some of the die-hards of the past, but you will hear no complaints from me.

I have picked up bits and pieces of a discussion about Belle and Sebastian being a "Christian" band. Looking at the album from that perspective, I was surprised to hear people being offended saying this was too religious. The rumor is that Stuart Murdoch is a Christian although it isn't particularly blatant in the music. He says "prayer" a few times in pretty ambiguous settings, and that is about it. It is pretty sad that people are so easily offended by the slightest hint of spirituality. I wouldn't let it affect your decision one way or another, because this is a fantastic album and definitely worth purchasing.