If You're Feeling Sinister

Infobox Album | Name = If You're Feeling Sinister
Type = Album
Artist = Belle & Sebastian


Released = November 18, 1996
Recorded = Ca Va Studios, Glasgow
Genre = Chamber pop
Length = 41:17
Label = Jeepster Records
Producer = Tony Doogan
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:pbmtk6kxqkrg~T1 link]
Last album = "Tigermilk"
(1996)
This album = "If You're Feeling Sinister"
(1996)
Next album = "The Boy with the Arab Strap"
(1998)

"If You're Feeling Sinister" is the second album by Scottish pop group Belle & Sebastian, released on the independent label Jeepster Records. The album was released to much critical praise in 1996. "Sinister" is widely considered to be an indie pop classic, and has garnered a cult following among fans.

"If You're Feeling Sinister" is often considered to be Belle & Sebastian's career high point. Fact|date=July 2008 Band leader Stuart Murdoch has stated in interviews that this is probably his best collection of songs, although they are not very well recorded. In 2005, Belle & Sebastian released a live version of the album entitled "" on the iTunes Music Store. Its purpose was to offer fans a better recorded version of "If You're Feeling Sinister".

Critical reception

Acclaim for "If You're Feeling Sinister" has been strong. Pitchfork Media placed the album at number 14 in its top 100 albums of the 1990s. [cite web|url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/36737-staff-list-top-100-albums-of-the-1990s/page_9|title=Top 100 Albums of the 1990s|publisher=Pitchfork Media] Rolling Stone magazine featured the album on its list of "Essential Recordings of the 1990s," [cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/rstone.html|title=Rolling Stone Lists|publisher=Rolling Stone] while Spin (magazine) included the record at number 76 on its "100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005" list. [cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/features/magazine/covers/2005/06/0507_cover_greatest_albums/|title=Spin 100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005|publisher= Spin] "If You're Feeling Sinister" also appears as an entry in the book "1001 Albums to Hear Before You Die" as chosen by music critics. Another source that analyzes critics, Acclaimed Music, has placed "If You're Feeling Sinister" as the 5th-best album of 1996 and number 341 of all time. [cite web|url=http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/Current/1996a.htm|title=Acclaimed Music Top Albums from 1996]

In 2007, as part of the 33⅓ series, Scott Plagenhoef wrote a book about the album.

Cover

The cover features a copy of The Trial by Franz Kafka.

Track listing

All songs written by Stuart Murdoch.
#"The Stars of Track and Field" – 4:48
#"Seeing Other People" – 3:48
#"Me and the Major" – 3:51
#"Like Dylan in the Movies" – 4:14
#"The Fox in the Snow" – 4:11
#"Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying" – 3:25
#"If You're Feeling Sinister" – 5:21
#"Mayfly" – 3:42
#"The Boy Done Wrong Again" – 4:17
#"Judy and the Dream of Horses" – 3:40

Personnel

*Stuart Murdoch – Vocals, Guitar
*Stuart David – Bass
*Isobel Campbell – Cello
*Chris Geddes – Keyboards, piano
*Richard Colburn – Drums
*Stevie Jackson – Guitar, Vocals
*Sarah Martin – Violins
*Mick Cooke – Trumpet

References