If You're Feeling Sinister

Sounds like acoustic Lou Reed. Fair.

Anyone else smell patchouli?

4.1 thouroughly enjoyed. The slow ones kind drag

I've heard of Belle & Sebastian, but I don't know any of their songs. This was fine. It was very pleasant, but nothing stood out. I wouldn't need to hear it again.

Hmmm. Another band that my ex loved and I thought was alright. This album was ok. Missing some of my more favorite songs by them

Ok

Listening to this album is Kafkaesque.

When this was new, I really hated it. Not sure why, probably just adolescent homophobia. It's reassuring to think that I've grown as a person since then.

Niente di speciale.

So good. Not a bad song. Amazing lyrics and excellent songwriting.

My favourite Belle and Sebastian album. Lovely and timeless. Pure joy. No notes.

wonderful album

Love their sound. Very enjoyable album.

It's fine. Doesn't resonate with me. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

This is not it for me. I did not enjoy this album.

Enjoyed. Peaceful folklike

halfslachtig album... iets te veel geneuzel voor mij maar er staan enkele goeie songs op...

Easy and fun, good painting

This is twee pop...very little that can be described as twee is good. Some Wes Anderson movies might be the exception? I kind of like this, a pleasant pop folk duo. Subtle Don't Look Back reference. Mayfly is the best song so far. There's nothing about this album to get me really excited either way. Quickly superseded by Judy and the Dream of Horses as a strong closer.

aburrido

I just don’t get it. I get a lot of people enjoy this but I just don’t think it’s for me. It’s definitely not the worst album Iv heard but I just don’t think the songs are that good

ok not my fav

This is pretty dreadful. Honestly, it's pretty clear that these folks listen to a lot of the cure and REM, I just don't understand why this is one of the 1001 albums I need to listen to before I die. It's not even good emo.

consistently lovely and moody

Hated this one

day 8 of not rolling Aja by Steely Dan Went in thinking I was going in blind, and then I heard a few songs and was like "oh I've heard this in [insert TV show/movie/etc.]" so that was kind of interesting. I'm sort of a fan of the shitty vocals and fun instrumentation of this era (and some similar stuff in the early 2000s). Like I doubt we get Cold War Kids or Kimya Dawson without artists like these telling the world it's okay to sound shitty and that it's... maybe part of the charm? i don't actually know. my favorite part of this album is actually the key words in the reviews. truly the duality of man: "boring" is two words away from "interesting"; "chill" and "fun" are close together as well

high school me would've eaten this up and i think current me respects that and still will eat this up.

I quite like Belle, but Sebastian didn't strike my fancy.

I think I could beat everyone involved in the recording of this album in a fight. not all at once or anything. Because I think this band has like 10 members. But even if it was all at once, I think I’d put up a pretty darn good fight.

Super influential stuff, I haven’t quite acquired the taste for this band but I appreciate what they’re doing here

Gražu, bet ne mano stilius.

Wow. This sounds like ..... (fill in any band from the previous several decades). It sounds as if these people looked for what makes a song popular and then created this. An x factor indie band.... and then they made their own compositions after the 'cover versions'. I really dislike this.

Kind of lo fi, nothing really clicked/inspired for me

Instant 5 stars. Love this album more than words could ever say. Top bops: Stars of track and field Like Dylan in the movies The Fox in the snow Get me away from here, I’m dying If you’re feeling sinister The boy done wrong again Judy and the dream of horses

5 stars of track and field you are....beautiful people. I wish I could be in the mixing room on a couple of tracks to just slide those vocals up a very small amount during the verses. I'd ride that fader so the choruses wouldn't fall into any possible anthemic interpretation (except for the ones that Stuart wants). I had a friend, two years older, who had survived cancer as a teen and just seemed to know things™ — coincidentally he had the best taste in music of anyone I'd ever met. He lived within walking distance, not that we did (too hilly, too rainy), and often was a surrogate sibling. It was this Belle and Sebastian record he slid my way as an introduction. I mentioned this in my Tigermilk review but I wasn't ready to really hear it. Too Twee! Too delicate! Not muscular and angular enough my post-hardcore, noise rock indulging self might exclaim. I couldn't hold on to a beautiful melancholy moment. Wasn't ready to sit with any of this literary, observant, empathetic storytelling. My friend would live another 20 years or so before finally passing of cancer and I've changed enough to watch a fox in the snow and take in the moment. Quietly defiant it endures as testimony. If You're Feeling Sinister is an album you may not be ready to hear but when you are it'll be there for you.

Earlier this year I caught a performance of If You're Feeling Sinister as part of a Belle and Sebastian anniversary tour. I wanted to convince my friends to listen to on Instagram, so I wrote "I know it sounds hard to believe, but a horny Scottish recluse obsessed with 60s pop music and running wrote a front to back perfect pop record." What else is there to add now?

Essential album for me, surprised I forgot to put it on my top 100 when we did that exercise. I get that in some ways it embodies the 2000s indie aesthetic so fully that it almost parodies itself. But I'm still into that aesthetic. I like cryptic stories and melodic departures that don't quite add up to a concept yet still have an undeniable through line. To me the through line is feeling invisible and unknown even in the midst of a group of people, a web of relationships. There is so much warmth and familiarity in the music but also a hollowness at the heart of it that I think can only be there on purpose. "Seeing other people or at least that's what we say we are doing" conveys that in several ways. Not sure this review is coherent at all.

Okay

Heard it before. Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying is a sweet song but the main guy's vocals are absolutely grating if you listen to more than 2 songs in a row 2/5

es el pimpollo mas salvador que haya puesto fin a tu tortura, tomare sus alas como mias, entrenare hasta salvar mi vida, quiero que un barco me tome de la mano, que haga las paces con mi capitan, que me beba como agua, que me enseñe a naufragar, el mas lindo pimpollo que te salvo, en su torpeza carmesi de cotillon

I just don't get these guys. Twee indie pop that does nothing for me I'm afraid.

Its a 6/5 really.

Pretty decent / inoffensive … even keeled but didn’t particularly stand out 3

not my thing

My second favorite band of all time; I'm intimately familiar with this record. I think it's generally considered their best work, and it has some of my favorite songs by them, but I like a few other albums better (Boy With the Arab Strap and Fold Your Hands Child appeal more to me, personally). But I've had a long time to sit with their discography. The songwriting and especially the melodies are what define B&S for me, and this album has some truly delicious melodies. Get Me Away From Here I'm Dying is incredible; a perfect pop song. Other favorites are Seeing Other People, Fox in the Snow, Mayfly, and Judy and the Dream of Horses. No skips on the album and it functions really well as a whole.

I really love this album, another of them I’ve listened to hundreds of times but hadnt for a while so it felt fresh again. Dear Catastrophe Waitress just edges it slightly, but it’s such an easy 5 for me. Me and the Major, Get Me Away From Here, Dylan in the Movies, If Youre Feeling Sinister, all favourites of mine. Great record

A lot better than tiger milk, musically a lot more accomplished. Shades of blur on some tracks though it's a lot more DIY twee indie than that. Think it was good enough that I could stomach some of the silly lyrics. Dylan in the movies was a standout I think, and I really liked the sound of fox in the snow. A bit too DIY wet blanket to be a 5 for me, would want a bit more edge or a bit more complexity, but really good.

Lots to like here - quirky, folksy, pure indie. Great run from Me and the Major, Like Dylan in the Movies, The Fox in the Snow, and Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying. Sufjan Stevens-esque. When the first song came back on again, The Stars of Track and Field, I have to admit I got a bit bored.

Thought this was pretty brilliant. Much better than the previous album of theirs we had for me. I was definitely played this by my dad when I was younger, distinctly remember hearing stars of track and field in the car The second track is really reminiscent of the shins. A few others reminded me of other bands, maybe death cab or postal service.... Bet they liked this. Listened to this 3 times today, and really enjoyed it. Makes me wonder why I didn't click with the last one. Might have to go back. 4.5 but it's getting a 5

I like this one better than their other record on this list. The vocals are still a little tough for me to get into but the arrangements are elegant and pretty. It’s weird because I like Nick Drake, but in this context the lispy vocals just really take me out of it.

Good.

Really enjoyed this, always been a fan of indie pop and this is no exception.

Not my music

Big fan of this one

I'm never angry positioning to Belle& Sebastian. Great songwriting, beautiful composition, damn good music.

giving this one a five because its one I want to revisit but not because its as much of a 5 star as the other ones. drink: peanut butter chocolate smoothie with whipped cream not yet whipped to perfection. rating: 8.02/10

Not my thing. But I will give it three stars based on the scene in the movie "High Fidelity" where Jack Black interrupts a Belle & Sebastian song in favor of "Walking On Sunshine."

In my experiment to listen to more music this has been the first album I chose to listen to again the very same day, good vocals, original songs, distinct sound, an easy album to sit and chill to

Koselig bakgrunnsstøy.

it didn't make me curios enough to listen to it again or save it. Not a bad one, I can't say I had a bad time

i love this album. it feels so wistful but never veers into corny. its cohesion and distinct sound make it meditative, but its not stagnant; different songs jump out at me each time around (this time it was “Fox in the Snow”). Fav tracks: Get Me Away from Here, I’m Dying; The Fox in the Snow; Judy and the Dream of Horses

⭐️Like Dylan in the Movies

Obvious Nick Drake comparisons aside, this also felt like Simon and Garfunkel for the nineties kids. The songs are all very pleasant. The album opens with "The Stars Of Track And Field", which starts off with just vocalist Stuart Murdoch and an acoustic guitar before more instruments get added to create a very full sounding band. While they could run the risk of coming off as too soft and lacking any edge, they are so lushly layered that I can't bring myself to dislike any of them. When I'm next in the mood for some more relaxed music, I'll definitely consider checking out more Belle And Sebastian.

I’ve loved Belle & Sebastian from hearing ‘It could’ve been a brilliant career’ on the radio (possibly mark and lard) and ‘The boy with arab strap’ as the theme from ‘Teachers’. Whilst not as strong as either TBWTAS or Tigermilk all the key ingredients are hear. The floaty dreamy music combined with their wonderful knack for storytelling.

I absolutely expected to hate this. I did not, for reasons I can’t entirely explain.

I apparently had entirely the wrong picture of what Belle & Sebastian sounded like in my head. I thought I was going to hate this, but (with one caveat) I actually really enjoyed it. It was whimsical, in that way Badly Drawn Boy or Divine Comedy are, and it was for the most part... jolly? Now I do have a bit of an issue with the vocals. He's not got my favourite singing voice, and I think I would likely enjoy this more if someone else less breathy was singing it. But I still do really like it. This it definitely a 3.5 for me, but is getting rounded up: 4/5

unlistenable soo soo boring

I like Belle and Sebastian. I like this less that I like Tigermilk though. Tigermilk is varied and experimental. This is enjoyable and witty, just like Tigermilk, but it’s quite samey in its musical approach.

And the "I feel like I should have loved them because all the cool kids did, but actually did nothing for me" pile gets 1 CD album higher.

Muy buen álbum, me gustó como suena y todo es hermoso, bastante profundo y llega

2,7/5

3.5

le pongo 2 porque me da lástima ponerle 1.

Great Indie Pop Album...milestone un rhis genre and one of the best in the 90s

Very neutral

Pas mal ça détend

Cozy. I quite like this.

Nice chilled music. Not much more than that.

I like Belle and Sebastian although this isn't my favorite album of theirs. A bit too twangy for me. I do like the closer, "Judy and the Dream of Horses" quite a bit. That reminds me of their later stuff which is really good.

One I was intrigued to listen to and lived up to the hype. The first half is especially strong, with The Stars of Track and Field and Seeing Other People great in their folky sound but layered with other aspects that make this a really creative and interesting sound. This is what the twee indie bands of the early 2000s were trying to make. Other reviewers that said that this album sounds vegetarian probably have a point, but who among us doesn’t enjoy a caprese salad on occasion?

Deservedly regarded as one of the best albums of the 90s, this set of beautifully melancholic, intricate, and compelling tracks is a gift that keeps on giving.

One of my favourite albums of the 90s. Consistently strong songwriting and storytelling with catchy melodies and beautiful instrumental arrangements. It’s mostly gentle music (acoustic guitars, pianos, strings/brass, etc.), but still upbeat and lively. Hard to pick out particular favourites as the album works so well as a cohesive whole, but the opener has to be up there; the fact that the chorus still gives me chills surely has to be a sign of a brilliant song. Beyond that, the title track and the closer come to mind, but really every track here is great. An easy 5 stars.

Siento que tiene potencial, más sin embargo ocupo de reescucharse varias veces para terminar de posicionarlo adecuadamente Creo que tiene momentos líricos que combinan muy bien con la instrumentación y además juega muy bien con los momento de potencia y los momentos tranquilos No tengo una favorita clara más sin embargo me parece que es una obra sólida, entiendo que tengan una buena base de adeptos

I'm a sad white Millennial, so this album is very important to me. I don't know how objective this rating is, but I genuinely love this album from start to finish.

This is Wes Anderson music with a Scottish accent. Feels like a lot of the bands I heard in college (especially The Shins and The Decemberists), but not in a way that’s making me feel nostalgic. I get that they came first during the 1990s, but I kept feeling like Zach Braff was going to jump from around the corner at any moment, and that doesn’t make me feel excited in any way… Like some of the songs, though, like “Like Dylan in the Movies”, “Mayfly, and the title track. (3/5)

My former housemate ran a record label and booked shows for Indie bands in the mid 90s. He went on a weekend with one of the bands he worked with and when he came back he had a tape that he claimed all the hip indie kids were listening to. It was If You're Feeling Sinister. And that's the story of how The Promise Ring is responsible for my friends being into B&S.

Not terrible. Just not in the mood

Pitchfork et al really tried to make these boys happen. Dylan in the movies was a college discovery and has a nice catchy hook for such a dark song, but it's all so twee!

8/10

4/10

Más de Belle and Sebastian

Basically the greatest ever

honestly this album goes soooo hard and its so nice and sweet... big fan!!

Indie pop, chamber pop, and folk rock built from delicate guitars, gentle piano, understated drums, strings, and soft vocals feels like sitting in a quiet café where everyone around me is having intensely personal conversations in hushed voices, while I never feel drawn in. The songs are carefully written and full of small details, which feels like its gentle prettiness tries to suffocate me.

Very nice. I don't think this is their best however!

I'm not sure why this album/band is so loved. It seems like they're inspired by Nick Drake, which was 20+ years earlier, but for the late 90's it sounds like nostalgia for something that doesn't resonate with me. Well produced, but didn't like most of the tracks.

D'après-moi ça me tappe un peu sur les nerfs. 2.49 étoiles

I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. The music and Instrumentals were phenomenal. I am not a fan of Murdochs vocals. I'm giving it a 3. But only for the music/instruments.

Not bad.

Not a bad thing but this is Dunder Mifflin employee music.