If You're Feeling Sinister

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If You're Feeling Sinister
Studio album by Belle & Sebastian
Released	November 18, 1996
Recorded	Ca Va Studios, Glasgow
Genre	Chamber pop
Length	41:17
Label	Jeepster Records
Producer	Tony Doogan
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Belle & Sebastian chronology
Tigermilk (1996) If You're Feeling Sinister (1996) 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, and was followed soon after by The Boy with the Arab Strap, which overall garnered mixed reviews compared to its predecessor. 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. 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 If You're Feeling Sinister: Live at the Barbican on the iTunes Music Store. Its purpose was to offer fans a better recorded version of If You're Feeling Sinister.

Contents 1 Critical reception 2 Cover 3 Track listing 4 Personnel 5 References

[edit] 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.^[1] Rolling Stone magazine featured the album on its list of "Essential Recordings of the 1990s,"^[2] while Spin (magazine) included the record at number 76 on its "100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005" list.^[3] 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.

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

[edit] Cover

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

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Stuart Murdoch.

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

[edit] 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

[edit] References

v • d • e Belle & Sebastian Stuart Murdoch | Stevie Jackson | Chris Geddes | Richard Colburn | Sarah Martin | Mick Cooke | Bobby Kildea Former members Isobel Campbell | Stuart David Albums Tigermilk | If You're Feeling Sinister | The Boy with the Arab Strap | Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant | Storytelling | Dear Catastrophe Waitress | Push Barman to Open Old Wounds | If You're Feeling Sinister: Live at the Barbican | The Life Pursuit Singles and EPs Dog on Wheels | Lazy Line Painter Jane | 3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light | This Is Just a Modern Rock Song | "Legal Man" | "Jonathan David" | "I'm Waking Up to Us" | "Step into My Office, Baby" | "I'm a Cuckoo" | Books | "Funny Little Frog" | "Casaco Marron" | "The Blues Are Still Blue" | "White Collar Boy" | Introducing... Belle & Sebastian Related articles Rough Trade Records | Jeepster Records | Bowlie Weekender | Belle et Sébastien