Dear Catastrophe Waitress

Dear Catastrophe Waitress is the sixth studio album by Scottish indie pop band Belle & Sebastian, released on 6 October 2003 on Rough Trade Records.

It was produced by Trevor Horn, a former member of the Buggles and the producer of groups like Yes and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Horn gave it a more polished, pop-friendly sound, which stood in sharp contrast with their previous lo-fi, folky albums (although songs like "Lord Anthony" hearkened back to their old sound). In particular, the danceable track "Stay Loose" proved to be the first in a series of songs (such as "Your Cover's Blown" and "Sukie in the Graveyard") that further diverged from their roots.

"Stay Loose" was released to radio on 24 February 2004. The album was nominated for the 2004 Mercury Music Prize, while the song "Step into My Office, Baby" was shortlisted for an Ivor Novello Award in the Best Song category. As of 2007, Dear Catastrophe Waitress had sold 138,000 copies in the US.

Recording
The producer Trevor Horn became a fan of Belle & Sebastian through his teenage daughter, and particularly admired the lyrics. When word reached the band that 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.