Albums

Belle and Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress

Alex Worsnip 07/12/2003

Rating: 2/5

I've never quite got Belle and Seb. They're a band I'd love to like, with their uber-indie cult appeal and what many say are wry and intelligent pop songs. They've never grabbed me, though. Pairing them with Trevor Horn, who generally produces very brash pop records, compared with Belle and Seb's understated feel, seemed a strange choice, but nevertheless an interesting one. 'Step Into My Office Baby', the first single, is hardly a massive departure, but its a pleasant and off-kilter pop song, with its familiar hooks and use of sweet orchestral sounds in the chorus, compared with a marching rhythm in the verses. Elsewhere, though, it is disappointingly hard to stay awake. These are summery and very nice pop songs (and I say that with genuinity - they're nice in a truly endearing way), but they're too fey and sweet to really make a lasting mark on the psyche.