See buying choices for this item to see if it's one of the millions that are eligible for Amazon Prime.

44 used & new from $2.36
See All Buying Options
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
Dear Catastrophe Waitress
 
See larger image 
See all product images
See all 4 customer images
Share your own customer images

Dear Catastrophe Waitress

Belle & Sebastian
4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (151 customer reviews) | More about this product

Available from these sellers.


13 new from $11.96 30 used from $2.36 1 collectible from $18.98
Belle & Sebastian
Amazon's Belle & Sebastian Store
Find all the CDs, MP3s, and vinyl, plus photos, videos, biographies, discussions, and more. Visit the store.

Special Offers and Product Promotions

  • Interact With Your Music: Discover, listen to, and buy new music, all from the pages of SPIN's digital edition, free to Amazon customers.

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

If You're Feeling Sinister

If You're Feeling Sinister

~ Belle & Sebastian
4.4 out of 5 stars (173)  $10.99
The Life Pursuit

The Life Pursuit

~ Belle & Sebastian
4.4 out of 5 stars (109)  $10.99
The Boy with the Arab Strap

The Boy with the Arab Strap

~ Belle & Sebastian
4.3 out of 5 stars (163)  $10.99
Tigermilk

Tigermilk

~ Belle & Sebastian
4.6 out of 5 stars (97)  $10.99
Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant

Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant

~ Belle & Sebastian
4.0 out of 5 stars (113)  $11.98
› Explore similar items

Product Details

  • Audio CD (October 7, 2003)
  • Original Release Date: October 7, 2003
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: Sanctuary Records
  • ASIN: B0000CBHQ1
  • Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (151 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #57,375 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #45 in  Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Twee Pop

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Just when they seemed sure to fade away into twee-pop irrelevance, this obscure Scottish indie-pop act releases their strongest album in seven years. With lots of help from uber-commercial producer Trevor Horn (ABC, Yes, Pet Shop Boys, t.A.T.u.), singer-songwriter Stuart Murdoch finally gets back to leading his band. It was a nice idea to have everyone else share the vocal spotlight on Fold Your Hands and Storytelling, but wasn't Murdoch's delicate voice so much of what made us all fall in love with the band in the first place? Clearly, Horn understands this, just as he understands that the preciously lo-fi sound had to go. Horn brings every instrument into a crystal-clear, lovingly retro, Top of the Pops clarity. It's their most diverse album by far, from the marching, uptempo(!) drums on "Step Into My Office Baby" (which sounds like Melanie meets Adam and the Ants) to the fractured, New Wave-organ-driven "Stay Loose" (the close as B&S has come to Talking Heads territory). What a nice surprise. --Mike McGonigal

Product Description
Sigmatropic, a renowned Greek artist has accomplished a truly amazing and unique project! With the help of a deliriously star-studded cast of guests he performs songs based on the haiku poetry of celebrated, Nobel Prize winning Greek author George Seferis --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below.
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
See all 17 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
Help others find this product — tag it for Amazon search
No one has tagged this product for Amazon search yet. Why not be the first to suggest a search for which it should appear?
 

Customer Reviews

151 Reviews
5 star:
 (76)
4 star:
 (34)
3 star:
 (24)
2 star:
 (11)
1 star:
 (6)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (151 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Not Belle & Sebastian you're used to, but wonderful, October 8, 2003
By A Customer
Like most veteran fans of Belle & Sebastian, I worried about this CD for months before it came out. Would the band evolve away from all the things we love about them? After learning that this album would be produced by Trevor Horn, my concern was that it would sound much too fake and polished--like a cheap plastic version of their old works.

B&S singer Stuart Murdoch said (on the band's website I think) that in making Dear Catastrophe Waitress, he and the band had an ammount of fun that hadn't been achieved in making any of their albums since Tigermilk. Now that I've finally heard this new CD, I don't feel Tigermilk, but I certainly do feel the fun.

The band has traded their darkest cynicism in for more mature responses and even life-affirmation at moments; exchanged their flat and shaky vocals for strong and deliberate melodies and more harmonies than ever; and as far as instrumental arrangements, the dizziness and some of the etherealness has been replaced by energy and sunniness. The evolutions are of course in a direction that we tasted in their last two full-length albums and last several EP's, but they are most fully realised in Dear Catastrophe Waitress. And not everything has changed: their wit, silliness, playful melodies, and the chamber pop aspect are as strong as ever.

Any long-time fan will find here grounds to be nostalgic for the the good ole familiar Belle & Sebastian heard on classics such as If You're Feeling Sinister and The Boy With the Arab Strap. However, I recommend loving the fact that their sound has not become stagnant, and embracing this new style as lovely and refreshing!

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars It's time to be happy!, October 19, 2003
By Nick Danger (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
I've heard a lot of negative reviews about this album, proclaiming that the Belle and Sebastian of the late 90's are just a memory now. No more will B&S be something we listen to when we are in are darkest times, looking for someone who understands how we feel, and blah blah blah...

I will personally attest that I bought this CD while feeling a little down and listening to it really cheered me up. That's pretty cheesy and sentimental to say, I realize, but it's true.

This isn't a new Belle and Sebastian. The lyrics are as clever and sarcastic as ever, and Stuart's voice is still as haunting, but now he's got good news to bring us!

These are songs about love, hope, and God even. And the joy of which Stuart sings is reflected by stunning instrumental arrangements. More horns and strings than on any other full length make this album a complete musical experience.

Songs like "If You Find Yourself Caught In Love" and "Roy Walker" are so happy that they near sappy, but never take themselves seriously enough to cross any sentimental lines.

Two standouts for me on this album are two songs that find Belle and Sebastian taking some interesting chances musically. The song "I'm a Cuckoo" is a Thin Lizzy tribute that captures the style and substance of that band, with double-guitar riffs and speech-like vocals. "Stay Loose" has an obvious '80s sound, but not as derivative or clichéd as some bands who have been riding the New New Wave. This song is laced with elements of Bowie, and, in my opinion, later Blondie.

When a band like Belle and Sebastian has gotten to be closely associated with the doldrums, it's really nice to hear them have a conscious change in heart.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
33 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars storm in a teacup, March 16, 2004
By A Customer
I am writing this review primarily to address the apparent confusion over Stuart Murdoch "turning" Christian on this album...Even a cursory examination of Belle & Sebastian's discography & lyrics will reveal that he has always been preoccupied with religion and specifically Christianity. Stuart LIVES IN A CHURCH, for those who don't know, and his favorite author has for many years been C. S. Lewis, author of the "Narnia" books for children as well as many books about faith & theology. Stuart was singing about "reading the Gospels to yourself" and curing people on the Sabbath as far back as "Tigermilk", the bands very first recording. The albums since have dropped many clues about his faith. Just because a person has a belief in the basic truth of Christianity does not mean they do not continue to think about issues like their sexuality, or drugs, or whatever....
"dear catastrophe waitress" is simply a beautiful record. I hope people can get over their anti-religious bigotry and intolerance of other people's beliefs and enjoy a lovely album by an incredible band.
....And to the reviewer who says that "any belief in Christianity is close to mental retardation" - an interesting thought. I am presuming that he must think he is more intelligent than any of the countless scholars, artists, painters, composers, philosophers, theologians, scientists, physicists, poets, and other great thinkers and brilliant people who do believe in Christianity? That's just silly.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Fear part-apathy tunesmiths
2 1/2

Thankfully they got over this little creative hump, but everything in DCW sounds like a band's swan song in its lack of fresh ideas and simple energy. Read more
Published 2 months ago by IRate

5.0 out of 5 stars Some of their best lyrical work
This is possibly my favorite B & S confection. The strings are especially good on this album and their lyrics are fantastic. Read more
Published 17 months ago by S. Mackin

5.0 out of 5 stars If I Could Do One Near-Perfect Thing I'd Be Happy...
My first Belle & Sebastian album was last year's THE LIFE PURSUIT, which remains my favourite album of 2006 and, honestly, one of my favourite albums of all time. Read more
Published on July 9, 2007 by Thomas K. Emanuel

4.0 out of 5 stars "I was choking on a cornflake" (* * * * 1/3)
Dear Catastrophe Waitress rightly restored Belle & Sebastian to their former glory following a few musical missteps. Read more
Published on February 28, 2007 by Blake Maddux

5.0 out of 5 stars B&S's most coherent and addictive achievement
I've been impressed by all of Belle and Sebastian's albums and EPs, from Tigermilk to The Life Pursuit; however, I believe that Dear Catastrophe Waitress stands out as their most... Read more
Published on February 19, 2007 by Jeffrey Comer

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite Good Indeed
I had bought Isobel Campbell's solo album Amorino when it first came out, after having heard one track being played on an independent radio station in Boston. Read more
Published on July 31, 2006 by JP

5.0 out of 5 stars This album turned me on to B&S
When I first heard this album in January 2004, I was somewhat impressed, but I wasn't really paying close attention to it (it was playing during a long car ride with a friend of... Read more
Published on June 27, 2006 by J. Pasco

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Pop That Manages Not to Cloy or Clot
I chose this album nearly at random after a friend recommended the band to me. He knew that I adore a good tune (I'm a huge XTC fan) and thought I'd like B. & S. Read more
Published on April 10, 2006 by Bart King

4.0 out of 5 stars A pretty good indie pop album which is unfortunately marred by a couple problems - the singer's not for everybody - 4.5 stars
Belle & Sebastian's "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" is really an album which should NOT be out of print right now. Read more
Published on January 5, 2006 by C. Cross

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic and Catchy
All I can say about it is that it's like listening to a Beach Boys album with a complete orchestra behind them. Wait....that's been done. Read more
Published on November 6, 2005 by J. Fulton

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
New! See all customer communities, and bookmark your communities to keep track of them.
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   

SoundUnwound Says...

“Dear Catastrophe Waitress opens new browser window by Belle and Sebastian opens new browser window is mainly Baroque Pop, quite Indie, with hints of Alternative Folk”

Disagree? Cast your vote now! opens new browser window

Share your knowledge and explore the rest of the music world at SoundUnwound.com opens new browser window

SoundUnwound Logo

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Dear Catastrophe Waitress
68% buy the item featured on this page:
Dear Catastrophe Waitress 4.1 out of 5 stars (151)
The Boy with the Arab Strap
11% buy
The Boy with the Arab Strap 4.3 out of 5 stars (163)
$10.99
If You're Feeling Sinister
10% buy
If You're Feeling Sinister 4.4 out of 5 stars (173)
$10.99
Tigermilk
7% buy
Tigermilk 4.6 out of 5 stars (97)
$10.99
Explore similar items

Look for Similar Items by Category

Music You Should Hear™: Artists' Picks

Music You Should Hear
Want to know what Norah Jones, Sting, and Il Divo are listening to? Find out in Music You Should Hear™, where these and other artists tell you about the music they love.
 

Shop Routers in Home Improvement

Shop for woodworking routers
No, not the wireless kind. Find a huge selection of woodworking routers in the Home Improvement Store.

›Shop for routers

  
Music Essentials
Greats from the Greatest Explore our Music Essentials Store and find music from over 500 essential artists and composers, watch videos, and vote for the most essential artist.
 
Read Our Blog
For more about music, check out ChordStrike, a minor blog for major music lovers™.
 

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.



Where's My Stuff?

Shipping & Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue shopping: Top Sellers

amazon.com Amazon.com Home  |   Directory of All Stores
International Sites:  Canada  |  United Kingdom  |  Germany  |  Japan  |  France  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Build an eCommerce Site  |  Advertise With Us  |  Developer Services  |  Self-Publish with Us
Help  |  View Cart  |  Your Account  |  1-Click Settings
Investor Relations  |  Press Releases  |  Careers at Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates