KEv did a copy of Belle and Sebastians new album Dear Catastrophe Waitress for me, which is fantastic. A really really great album. The best new album I’ve heard since the first Coral one (I think). This is a prime example of when so called “music piracy” pays off for the band themselves because seeing as it’s so wonderful I’m completely determined to buy the CD myself and, when I do, to pass on the ’copy’ to someone else I know who’ll like it, thereby spreading the word about a piece of music that it’s actually worth spending some money on.

I haven’t the skill or energy to try and describe why it’s so good right now, but I’ll just say that to me it has all the strengths of Belle and Sebastian at their best along with a good dose of well directed inventiveness and some silky smooth production.

But don’t take my word for it. Here’s a few reviews for your perusal.

• <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=2047548"

  Rolling Stone (short and sweet)

• (long and sweet)
• (old faithful)
• (a dissenting voice?)

In fact do this better than me, just go there ;o)