a beloved indie pop album released in 1996. It's their second studio album and often considered their masterpiece—full of lush, literate songwriting with emotionally rich and quirky storytelling.

The album helped define Belle & Sebastian's cult status, especially with its blend of chamber pop instrumentation and Stuart Murdoch’s introspective lyrics. It’s a must-have on vinyl if you're into '90s indie or looking for something tender and timeless.

Reviews

"Blessed with an impish sense of humor, a sly turn of phrase, and an alluringly fey voice, he gives this record a real sense of backbone, in that its humor is far more biting than the music appears and the music is far more substantial that it initially seems. Sinister plays like a great forgotten album, couched in '80s indie, '90s attitude, and '60s folk-pop. It's beautifully out of time, and even if other Belle & Sebastian albums sound like it, this is where they achieved a sense of grace." Allmusic