Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress

Rough Trade - 2003 - 48 minutes

It's the doomsday scenario of many a music fan: take one relatively obscure indie favourite and put it through a pop machine, Willy Wonka style, bubbles and all. An example of what comes out the other side is 'Dear Catastrophe Waitress', Belle & Sebastian's fifth studio offering, produced by Trevor 'Tatu' Horn. Slick and upbeat, the finished product sounds not unlike putting an old Belle & Sebastian record on a turntable at 78rpm instead of 33 and adding an occasional blast of 80s style synthesiser - Horn is, after all, the man who created 'Video Killed the Radio Star', one of the greatest pop songs of all time.

'Dear Catastrophe Waitress' will be the quirky Scottish band's most commercially accessible album to date, with casual listeners deciding they quite like the sound of this upbeat band they've never heard of before. However, long-term fans are unlikely to care for it. Because, while this album is undeniably easy to listen to, it appears to be missing the old B&S nerve centre; that edgy, neurotic, vulnerable, and often gorgeous sound that made the collective unique.

This has as much to do with Stuart Murdoch's songwriting as the new set of production hands. One of Belle & Sebastian's great strength's was telling stories - 'Tigerlily's 'The State That I Am In' - and funny, touching lyrics - 'If You're Feeling Sinister's 'Seeing Other People'. But there is nothing on 'Dear Catastrophe Waitress' to make the listener do a double take or grin to themselves like a nutter.

Still, if you pick up this album without previous baggage and prejudices, it's a perfectly pleasant listening experience. Some of the better tracks include 'Roy Walker' - could it about Mr Catchphrase or is there another Roy Walker out there? Either way, it's deliciously infectious. 'Step into My Office Baby' is a jaunty little number, complete with string section and knowing winks. And 'Piazza, New York Catcher' is a touching strumming affair.

So, not really a bad album then, but the purists will hate it. For this year's fix of wry Scottish witticisms, they should try Camera Obscura's 'Underachievers Please Try Harder' instead.

Anne-Louise Foley

Tracklisting: Step Into My Office, Baby - Dear Catastrophe Waitress - If She Wants Me - Piazza, New York Catcher, Asleep On A Sunbeam - I'm a Cuckoo - You Don't Send Me - Wrapped Up in Books - Lord Anthony - If You Find Yourself Caught in Love - Roy Walker - Stay Loose