FLASHBACK: Belle And Sebastian 'If You're Feeling Sinister' Pitchfork Classic Documentary

In 1996, Glasgow group BELLE AND SEBASTIAN conceived their sophomore full-length record titled If You're Feeling Sinister. A record that was not initially superbly spoken of, it has become a highly original and timeless piece of art due to its momentous consistency.

With this in mind, Pitchfork have released a documentary (produced and directed by RJ Bentler) that orally explains the history and production of this album.

Lead singer Stuart Murdoch explains how he started writing music. After being diagnosed at quite a young age with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis - better known and self-explained as chronic fatigue syndrome - he was unable to live his life like any other. After having to leave University, he would spend his days inside his parents' home, playing piano when he wasn't resting.

He later on explains how his illness led him to Beatbox - a music course for people who were either unemployed or, in his case, too sick to work. It was here that he met the band's bassist Stuart David.

The two played an open mic night at Halt in Glasgow. It was here that they met Stevie Jackson; the band's guitarist.

The documentary continues travelling through the formation of the band, including the coincidental recount of how Isobel Campbell tied into a fictional story that Murdoch had been writing.

It also exposes the story of how the band's demo tape 'Dogs On Wheels' led them to their first LP Tigermilk and how they signed to Jeepster Records.

It is until this point that we're granted with the grand finale - the story behind If You're Feeling Sinister.

An album built on both narrative and everyday people, it was recorded in just five days and mixed in three. Murdoch's aim for this record was to deliver it in the most authentic and natural way possible. Wherever he could sing live on a track, he would. It gave the album that much more character and charm and was way ahead of its time.

Featuring a few tracks from the record, we're told how the opening song 'The Stars of Track and Field' is "about story telling and capturing someone's attention and keeping it" and how 'Like Dylan In The Movies' is a rather autobiographical tune about Murdoch's emotions that were festooning his headspace at the time.

'The Fox In The Snow' is made up of haphazard songwriting and evocative lyricism, 'Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying' paints a sense of somewhat doubt about the band's future prospects and wanting to be alone, the title track includes the recording of a schoolyard fuelled by children, pertaining an innocence that is contrasted to the dark lyricism and the record's closing track, 'Judy and the Dream of Horses', is as if written from the perspective of a fictional character whom has achieved Murdoch's ambitions for him.

A documentary featuring old footage and interviews and that runs roughly an hour in length, it is a charming portrayal of the story behind Belle and Sebastian's most seminal record, If You're Feeling Sinister.

Words by Hannah Galvin.

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