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Review: |
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Dear Catastrophe Waitress is
a LP for which I have waited over three years, so it has a lot
to live up to. Let me say right off that Belle & Sebastian is
one of my top five favorite bands of all time, and I have listened
to their recordings religiously for years. The band's last few
releases (two EPs, a film soundtrack, and the 2000 LP Fold
Your Hands Child You Walk Like a Peasant) have been
satisfactory, but they didn't quite live up to the extraordinarily
high quality of the earlier LPs, The Boy With the Arab
Strap and If You're Feeling Sinister.
Needless to say, I was ecstatic to come into possession of an
advance copy of the new LP. Now that I've had proper time to
fully digest it, I am prepared to make a judgment.
I've always felt that any of Belle & Sebastian's recordings
could easily be used as a soundtrack to a Wes Anderson film.
Dear Catastrophe Waitress maintains that feeling,
but also adds to it. The band appears to be branching out from
the 70's folk-inspired direction of their previous LPs, and
opting instead to further explore the late 60's mod/lounge sound
of their 2001 EP, Legal Man. I'm perfectly OK
with this, because it honestly feels very natural on b>Dear
Catastrophe Waitress. Also, I will never criticize a group
for allowing their music to grow and change from album to album,
so long as the changes are not being made merely to sell more
records.
The LP opens with four tracks that are quintessentially Belle
& Sebastian: folksy melodies, great vocal harmonies, and lyrics
that can't be beaten. The first track, Step Into My Office
Baby, has all of those characteristics and also a bit of
the mod/lounge sound that I mentioned before. A song about relationship/office
politics, this track has some beautifully executed changes in
tempo and progression. This is a very strong first track. Track
two is the title track, and is also (currently) my favorite
on this record. Again there is the lyrical brilliance that I've
come to expect from singer Stuart Murdoch, some eclectic horn
sounds, and, most importantly, the wonderfully placed string
section. Having worked in a restaurant for years while writing
my own music and going to college, I can really relate to this
song's story of breaking out of mediocrity and triumphing over
those who have doubted you.
Track three has (dare I say it?) a bit of an Abba or BeeGees
influence with even a splash of Motown. If She Wants Me
is full of wonderful falsetto vocals placed over some jangly
guitar and a borderline-disco beat. It may sound ridiculous,
but it's really quite good. Finally, track four, Piazza,
New York Catcher is (you guessed it) indeed about New York
Mets catcher Mike Piazza. This short acoustic tune is one of
the finest on the record. From what I can decipher since there
is no lyric sheet, the lyrics tell a story of the duality of
trying to live a normal life as a professional athlete. There
are also a few allusions to the rumors regarding Piazza's sexuality.
Tracks five, six, and seven are unfortunately what most would
consider to be album-filler. These tracks, while not horrible,
just aren't too impressive. They are also dominated by the lead
vocals of some other band members who, while competent singers,
just don't have the unique tone or lyrical quality that Murdoch
has. Maybe I'll warm to these over time. While the remainder
of the album is satisfactory, the only other stand-out track
is the final one, Stay Loose. This track is a definite
departure from the sound on the rest of the record, having an
almost dub-reggae feel. The vocal melody and execution of the
verses has a late 1970's John Lennon-ish sound, with a retro
coil reverb effect. When the chorus comes, the song switches
gears and is very reminiscent of early Elvis Costello. The transitions
between these parts is abrupt, but not unsettlingly so. This
is a great way to end the record as it leaves the listener wondering
what the next Belle & Sebastian LP will sound like.
I would not say that Dear Catastrophe Waitress
is not a strong album; I think it is. I will say, however, that
what makes this album seem weaker than the previous ones is
overall playability. I can put on If You're Feeling Sinister
or The Boy With the Arab Strap and listen to them
straight through without skipping a single track. That is not
so with Dear Catastrophe Waitess. Instead, I find
myself skipping past four or five out of the thirteen tracks.
This LP is not the masterpiece that I had been dreaming of,
but it is definitely worth hearing for fans of the band. Here's
hoping the next one leaves out some of the filler.... |
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