''Dear Catastrophe Waitress'' is the sixth studio album by the Scottish

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with a DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and s ...

band

Belle & Sebastian Belle and Sebastian are a Scottish indie pop band formed in Glasgow in 1996. Led by Stuart Murdoch, the band has released twelve studio albums. They are often compared with acts such as the Smiths and Nick Drake. The band took their name from ...

, released on 6 October 2003 on

Rough Trade Records Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London, England. It was formed in 1976 by Geoff Travis, who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove. It is currently run by co-managing directors Travis and Jeannette Lee and ...

. It was produced by

Trevor Horn Trevor Charles Horn (born 15 July 1949) is an English record producer and musician. His influence on pop and electronic music in the 1980s was such that he has been called "the man who invented the eighties". Horn took up the bass guitar at an ...

. "Stay Loose" was released to radio on 24 February 2004. The album was nominated for the 2004

Mercury Music Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual Music award, music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the Music of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom or Music of Ireland, Ireland. It was cre ...

, while " Step into My Office, Baby" was shortlisted for an

Ivor Novello Award The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Welsh entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and Musical composition, composing. They have been presented annually in London by the The Ivors Academy, Ivors Academy, formerly called the Britis ...

for Best Song. As of 2007, ''Dear Catastrophe Waitress'' had sold 138,000 copies in the US.

Recording

The producer

became a fan of Belle & Sebastian through his teenage daughter, and particularly admired the lyrics. When the band heard he was a fan, they invited him to produce their new album. They recorded traditionally, rehearsing extensively and then recording live rather than using overdubs. Horn, known for using electronic equipment to transform music, was seen as a surprising choice for Belle and Sebastian, who were described by the ''

Guardian Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unit ...

'' as "the last living purveyors of arts-and-crafts indie values".

Track listing

Charts

References

External links

''Dear Catastrophe Waitress''
listing on the band's official site, with credits, liner notes, and links to lyrics. 2003 albums Belle and Sebastian albums Albums produced by Trevor Horn {{2000s-indie-pop-album-stub