Dear Catastrophe Waitress
by Belle And Sebastian

From HoldenM TOP 100 COMMENTER 10/05/2013 10:15 | #87624 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

There's this suaveness, this snarky edge, but undeniably boyishness to it. I'm reminded of Pip living in London, learning to be a gentleman. There's a high class presence, but there's still the fragile, infinitely endearing charm and sincerity to Dear Catastrophe Waitress that makes this an essential Belle & Sebastian listen. (Edited)

From paladisiac TOP 100 COMMENTER 12/11/2011 02:28 | #32633 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

i like the tongue-in-cheekiness, embodied immediately on track #1, "step into my office, baby", a white collar romp with lines like "She gave me some dictation / But my strength is in administration / I took down all she said / I even took down her little red dress" and "I'm pushing for a raise / I've been pushing now for days" and "a chance at overtime / say my place at nine" delivered softly and innocently that in turn feels so devious. The title track uplifts through a common life ("I'm sorry if he hits you with a full can of Coke / It's no joke / Your face is bleeding / You'll soon be leaving this town / to the clowns who worship / No one but themselves"). It's a new, happy belle & sebastian with song titles like the breezy "if she wants me", "asleep on a sunbean" and "i'm a cuckoo". "asleep on a sunbean" sounds like the hair moments when all is full of love. They capture the indie pastiche on "i'm a cuckoo" with the unassuming, almost-quaint guitar pop and at the chorus -- "I'd rather be in Tokyo / I'd rather listen to Thin Lizzy-oh / And watch the Sunday gang in Harajuku / There's something wrong with me, I'm a cuckoo". More fanciful love abounds on "wrapped up in books" ("We've got a fantasy affair / We didn't get wet. We didn't dare./ Our aspirations are wrapped up in books / Our inclinations are hidden in looks") as well as "if you find yourself caught in love"

Touching, funny, mean and wholly true. Just like life. Only this record is upbeat.

Two things I don't really understand, though:

1) everyone raving about "If You’re Feeling Sinister" (1996) which is more or less repetitive, overwrought and just boring record that feels like it's never going to end either. More like a long embarrassing whine if anyone asks me.

2) everyone dissing "Storytelling" (2002). I think it's a brilliant record that - for me at least - really crystallizes what a good "soundtrack" record really ought to be like: a piece of art in its own right. I think the film itself was also pretty good to just being ok, but this record on the other hand is so satisfying for me on multiple different ways. Ingenuity at work here if anyone asks for my opinion. One of the few records I personally will want to listen to from start to finish. And then appreciate life more than I did before those 34 minutes and 45 seconds.

You people need to stop blindly parroting what critics say about this or that and fucking listen to the records for yourselves for fucks sake. That's the only way you could even hope ever learning anything from those experiences.

I'm guessing 9 critics out of 10 tend to hear music - they just fail to listen to it. (Edited)

What a great album. Not a bad song on it and flows well.

I understand why people prefer other Belle & Sebastian albums, but to be this is my clear favorite. Excellent job of balancing the glib with the silly (without being slightly absurd like other B & S songs can get).

This is Belle & Sebastian's key work in my opinion. Lord Anthony is beautiful and If She Wants Me epitomizes their unique style. Most of my favorite songs by them are contained here