If You're Feeling Sinister
by Belle And Sebastian

From meruizh 03/27/2014 10:15 | #107739 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

What a brilliant piece of work, I've to say this is one of the most consistent beautiful albums I've ever heard.

From Mr. Shankly TOP 100 COMMENTER 12/01/2010 09:05 | #16721 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Interesting analogy. Nails on a chalkboard don't usually put me to sleep. Nor does Belle and Sebastian, for that matter. The quiet introspection on this album has always held me in rapt attention. I'm guessing you're not a fan of the third Velvet Underground record either.

From Brad1770 TOP 100 COMMENTER 02/16/2019 00:27 | #232012 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Who?
Belle and Sebastian are a band form Glasgow Scotland forming around 1994 2 years prior to this album. The band are still around today and released a new album in 2018 as Belle and Sebastian 2.0 with a more electronic dance sound

Time and Place?
'If Your Feeling Sinister' is the bands second release following their acclaimed debut 'Tigermilk' . Interestingly both albums were released close together in 1996 with 'Tigermilk' appearing in June 96 followed by 'Sinister' in November 96. The band early on made a stance that they would release no singles , do no promotion and not appear on any album covers which created intrigue and mystery around the group.

Musical Style?
The Velvet's reference is a valid one but an earlier comment referencing Wilco is not ( well I don't see it anyway). The sound is a folk one where the song is king with rich melodies , off key cello's and trumpets in parts .This album is very much a grower and took me 3+ listens to fully appreciate , don't give up after listen 1 !

Do I Need To Hear This Album?
In my opinion yes , I'm a huge fan and love it to death. But it's not for everyone especially if you hate precious or twee music. This can be a polarising album , but as I mentioned earlier make sure you listen a few times before you make your mind up

Watch?
There is an excellent documentary on Youtube called 'Belle and Sebastian If Your Feeling Sinister Pitchfork Classics' which documents the history of the band up to and including this album and has band interviews breaking down each track. It's a wonderful documentary that helps unlock this album

"Play me a song to set me free
Nobody writes them like they used to
So it may as well be me"
(LYRICS FROM "GET ME AWAY FROM HERE I'M DYING"

Amen to that

An album that inspires the tired cliché, "they don't make 'em like this anymore. Such a beautiful collection of songs. "Like Dylan In the Movies" and "Me and the Major" seem to stand even taller than the rest of these perfect/near perfect songs.

From pearljammer13 TOP 100 COMMENTER 08/13/2014 08:25 | #119364 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

While Belle & Sebastian have always been a band I enjoy, until the last few months I never realized how much I love them. With this album especially, Murdoch's songwriting is unassuming yet relentless in it's ability to get in your head and stay there.