# Way Beyond Blue

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Way_Beyond_Blue
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Way_Beyond_Blue.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_Beyond_Blue
> Source revision: 1331635276
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = Way Beyond Blue
| type         = [Album](/source/Album)
| artist       = [Catatonia](/source/Catatonia_(band))
| cover        = Waybeyondbluecover.jpg
| alt          = 
| released     = 30 September 1996
| recorded     = 
| venue        = 
| studio       = 
| genre        = {{hlist|[Alternative rock](/source/Alternative_rock)|[indie pop](/source/indie_pop)}}
| length       = 47:41
| label        = [Blanco y Negro](/source/Blanco_y_Negro_Records)
| producer     = [Stephen Street](/source/Stephen_Street), Paul Sampson, Catatonia
| prev_title   = [The Sublime Magic of Catatonia](/source/The_Sublime_Magic_of_Catatonia)
| prev_year    = 1995
| next_title   = [International Velvet](/source/International_Velvet_(album))
| next_year    = 1998
| misc         = {{Singles
 | name        = Way Beyond Blue
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [Sweet Catatonia](/source/Sweet_Catatonia)
 | single1date = 18 January 1996
 | single2     = [Lost Cat](/source/Lost_Cat_(song))
 | single2date = 22 April 1996
 | single3     = [You've Got a Lot to Answer For](/source/You've_Got_a_Lot_to_Answer_For)
 | single3date = 26 August 1996<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-08-17.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=[Music Week](/source/Music_Week)|page=10|date=17 August 1996|access-date=9 April 2022}}</ref>
 | single4     = Bleed (reissue)
 | single4date = 1996
}}
}}
'''''Way Beyond Blue''''' is the debut album by the Welsh band [Catatonia](/source/Catatonia_(band)).<ref name="Bennun"/> It has been seen by many fans as being something of a compilation album, as all but five songs on the album had appeared on one of the band's early EPs or singles, albeit in different renditions (see below). It spawned the band's first top 40 hit, "[You've Got a Lot to Answer For](/source/You've_Got_a_Lot_to_Answer_For)", which hit No. 35.

==Critical reception==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)
| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="Erlewine">{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/way-beyond-blue-mw0000455568 |title=Way Beyond Blue – Catatonia |website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) |access-date=23 June 2025}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)''
| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Sullivan">{{cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Caroline |title=Catatonia: Way Beyond Blue |newspaper=[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian) |date=4 October 1996 |department=Features |at="Friday Review" section, p. 19}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[NME](/source/NME)''
| rev3score = 8/10<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Dalton |first=Stephen |url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000125reviews.html |title=Catatonia – Way Beyond Blue |magazine=[NME](/source/NME) |date=28 September 1996 |access-date=23 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817214152/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000125reviews.html |archive-date=17 August 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[Q](/source/Q_(magazine))''
| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Duerden |first=Nick |url=http://www.qonline.co.uk/reviews/server.asp?id=15118 |title=Catatonia: Way Beyond Blue |magazine=[Q](/source/Q_(magazine)) |issue=122 |date=November 1996 |access-date=23 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990911205001/http://www.qonline.co.uk/reviews/server.asp?id=15118 |archive-date=11 September 1999 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[Select](/source/Select_(magazine))''
| rev5score = 4/5<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Wilkinson |first=Roy |author-link=Roy Wilkinson |title=Catatonia: Way Beyond Blue |magazine=[Select](/source/Select_(magazine)) |issue=77 |date=November 1996}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[Vox](/source/Vox_(magazine))''
| rev6score = 8/10<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Dee |first=Johnny |title=Catatonia: Way Beyond Blue |magazine=[Vox](/source/Vox_(magazine)) |issue=73 |date=November 1996 |page=101}}</ref>
}}

In ''[Melody Maker](/source/Melody_Maker)'', [David Bennun](/source/David_Bennun) highlighted Catatonia's sense of "dreaminess" on ''Way Beyond Blue'' and compared listening to the album to "swimming in your own thoughts, cotton wool and clouds studded with hidden pins."<ref name="Bennun">{{cite magazine |last=Bennun |first=David |author-link=David Bennun |title=Coma Chameleons |magazine=[Melody Maker](/source/Melody_Maker) |volume=73 |issue=39 |date=28 September 1996 |page=49}}</ref> ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)''{{'}}s Caroline Sullivan concluded that "'[Lost Cat](/source/Lost_Cat_(song))' and '[Sweet Catatonia](/source/Sweet_Catatonia)', creamy janglefests both, are among the best things to have emerged from the nascent Welsh scene."<ref name="Sullivan"/>

[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) reviewer [Stephen Thomas Erlewine](/source/Stephen_Thomas_Erlewine) later called ''Way Beyond Blue'' "an infectious set of [jangle pop](/source/jangle_pop), injected with the punkish attitude of [indie rock](/source/indie_rock)", adding that "the guitars ring as if they were recorded in the late '80s, but it has a muscular backbone, and vocalist [Cerys Matthews](/source/Cerys_Matthews) has a tough edge to her voice, which never makes the music sound weak."<ref name="Erlewine"/>

==Track listing==
{{track listing
| extra_column    = Previous appearance
| all_writing     = [Cerys Matthews](/source/Cerys_Matthews) and [Mark Roberts](/source/Mark_Roberts_(musician)) unless otherwise noted
| title1          = [Lost Cat](/source/Lost_Cat_(song))
| extra1          = N/A
| length1         = 2:32
| title2          = [Sweet Catatonia](/source/Sweet_Catatonia)
| extra2          = ''[For Tinkerbell](/source/For_Tinkerbell)'' EP
| length2         = 2:43
| title3          = Some Half Baked Ideal Called Wonderful
| extra3          = N/A
| length3         = 3:10
| title4          = [You've Got a Lot to Answer For](/source/You've_Got_a_Lot_to_Answer_For)
| extra4          = N/A
| length4         = 3:16
| title5          = Infantile
| note5           = Matthews, Roberts, Paul Jones
| extra5          = N/A
| length5         = 4:28
| title6          = Dream On
| extra6          = ''[The Sublime Magic of Catatonia](/source/The_Sublime_Magic_of_Catatonia)''
| length6         = 2:37
| title7          = Bleed
| extra7          = "Bleed" single
| length7         = 2:30
| title8          = This Boy Can't Swim
| extra8          = "Bleed" single
| length8         = 3:01
| title9          = Painful
| extra9          = "Bleed" single
| length9         = 2:39
| title10         = Whale
| extra10         = "[Whale](/source/Whale_(song))" single
| length10        = 2:54
| title11         = For Tinkerbell
| extra11         = ''For Tinkerbell'' EP
| length11        = 4:10
| title12         = Way Beyond Blue
| note12          = contains hidden track "Gyda Gwên (With a Smile)"
| extra12         = N/A
| length12        = 13:31
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = 2015 reissue bonus disc<ref>{{cite web|title=Way Beyond Blue|url=http://www.demonmusicgroup.co.uk/catalogue/releases/way-beyond-blue/|website=Demon Music Group|accessdate=7 May 2015}}</ref>
|title1 = Blow the Millennium, Blow
|length1 = 
|title2 = Beautiful Sailor
|length2 = 
|title3 = Tourist
|length3 = 
|title4 = Acapulco Gold
|length4 = 
|title5 = Cut You Inside
|length5 = 
|note5 = Demo
|title6 = To and Fro
|length6 = 
|title7 = All Girls Are Fly
|length7 = 
|title8 = Indigo Blind
|length8 = 
|title9 = Sweet Catatonia
|length9 = 
|note9 = Live
|title10 = Whale
|length10 = 
|note10 = Live
|title11 = Bleed
|note11 = Version 2
|title12 = Do You Believe in Me?
|length11 = 
|title13 = Dimbran
|length12 = 
|title14 = You Can
|length13 = 
|title15 = All Girls Are Fly
|length14 = 
|note15 = Da-De? Remix
|title16 = Blow the Millennium, Blow
|length15 = 
|note16 = Splott Remix
|title17 = Do You Believe in Me?
|length16 = 
|note17 = Live
|title18 = Way Beyond Blue
|length17 = 
|note18 = Live
|title19 = Painful
|length18 = 
|note19 = Live
|title20 = Bleed
|length19 = 
|note20 = Live
}}

==Personnel==
* [Cerys Matthews](/source/Cerys_Matthews) – vocals
* [Mark Roberts](/source/Mark_Roberts_(musician)) – guitar
* Owen Powell – guitar
* Paul Jones – bass
* [Aled Richards](/source/Aled_Richards) – drums <small>(tracks 1–5, 7, 9, 11)</small>
* [Dafydd Ieuan](/source/Dafydd_Ieuan) – drums <small>(tracks 2, 6–8, 10, 12)</small>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Catatonia}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1996 debut albums
Category:Catatonia (band) albums
Category:Blanco y Negro Records albums
Category:Albums produced by Stephen Street

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Way Beyond Blue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_Beyond_Blue) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_Beyond_Blue?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.