Top Albums of the 2000s
18. Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
B&S started the decade poorly. Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant was about half-good. The Storytelling soundtrack wasn’t really notable at all. Isobel Campbell left the group, apparently on bad terms. The quiet chamber pop sound that made their name was getting tired. A change in direction was needed and made. They brought in producer Trevor Horn, known much more for big, radio-friendly pop music than acoustic ballads for bookish nerds. And his influence was very apparent. The album took Stuart Murdoch’s stellar songwriting abilities and paired it with lavish instrumentation and heavy coat of gloss. The result was an eclectic mix that touched on Bacharach, Thin Lizzy, and ABBA. It was a huge risk, but it paid off. Other highlights: “If You Find Yourself Caught in Love,” “Step Into My Office, Baby,” “If She Wants Me”
