If You're Feeling Sinister
If You're Feeling Sinister is the second album by the Scottish indie pop band Belle and Sebastian. It was released in 1996 on Jeepster Records in the United Kingdom and in 1997 by Matador Records in the United States. It is often ranked among the best albums of the 1990s, including being ranked #14 in Pitchfork's list of Top 100 Albums of the 1990s. Band leader Stuart Murdoch said If You're Feeling Sinister is probably his best collection of songs. In 2005, Belle and Sebastian released a live version, If You're Feeling Sinister: Live at the Barbican. Background and recording Belle and Sebastian released their debut studio album Tigermilk in mid-1996 on local label Electric Honey. By July 1996, the band received praise by radio DJs, and by August 1996, they got attention from interested record labels. They ultimately signed with London-based label Jeepster Records. Jeepster was willing to accept some of the group's other demands, such as releasing no singles, not doing press or promotional events, and not appearing in promotional materials. At this point, Stuart Murdoch and drummer Richard Colburn had taken up residence in a flat above Hyndland Parish Church in Glasgow, where Stuart was a caretaker, with the band using the church's hall as their rehearsal space. They began rehearsing new material, written by Murdoch, after signing with Jeepster. The album took five days to record and three to mix, slightly longer than Tigermilk. It was recorded in the same studio as Tigermilk and engineer Tony Doogan worked with the band's previous engineer to maintain a similar recording style. Band member Sarah Martin, who had recently joined the band at this point, likened Tigermilk and If You're Feeling Sinister to The Beatles' albums Rubber Soul and Revolver in the sense that the two albums were recorded quickly after one another. Author Dave Thompson, in his book Alternative Rock (2000), described the album's sound as: "Blessed with vocals straight out of Donovan's '60s, and a musical echo of vintage Boomtown Rats, topped off by a West coast vibe tinged with unbridled Scots romanticism". Spin thought the band sounded like a mix of Beat Happening and Tindersticks. Release If You're Feeling Sinister was released in November 1996, which Belle and Sebastian promoted with shows alongside Tindersticks. It was issued in the United States in early 1997; the decision to do this delayed the follow-up, with the band instead opting to release three EPs, Dog on Wheels, Lazy Line Painter Jane and 3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light (all 1997). The EPs were successively climbing the charts in the UK while If You're Feeling Sinister was gaining traction at American colleges. The band made their live debut in the US in September 1997, appearing at the CMJ Festival. The cover photo was taken by Murdoch of his friend, Ciara MacLaverty; like Murdoch, MacLaverty suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome. It features a copy of The Trial by Franz Kafka. Critical reception If You're Feeling Sinister received critical acclaim. Pitchfork placed