Dear Catastrophe Waitress

iTunes Review

With a different lineup (both Stuart David and Isobel Campbell were now working with other bands) and big-name pop producer Trevor Horn on board, Dear Catastrophe Waitress signaled a new direction for Belle & Sebastian. Featuring some of the best hooks and catchiest melodies of their career, the album is upbeat and assured, finely crafted and complex. Over the course of a dozen dizzyingly tuneful tracks, Stuart Murdoch delivers his quirky, wry lyrics with noticeable confidence. Moving from the deliberately lo-fi aesthetic of their first few recordings, the overall sound here is rich and full and features a range of textures, including excellent horns, strings, keyboards, and some subtly effective sonic touches. Highlights include the jazzy rhythm of “If She Wants Me” and “You Don’t Send Me,” to the Smiths-inspired “Wrapped Up in Books,” to the theatrical sweep of “If You Find Yourself in Love.” Dear Catastrophe Waitress may not be as groundbreaking as their earlier work, but it’s not a radical departure either — more like a logical step forward — and the result is a stunning collection of clever and endlessly intriguing songs.