Singer-songwriter Stuart Murdoch formed Indie Pop band Belle & Sebastian in Glasgow in early 1996, recruiting six other local musicians. The group released their first two albums that year, Tigermilk and If You're Feeling Sinister. They issued their third album, The Boy With The Arab Strap, in 1998. Their next full-length was 2000's Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant. 2002's Storytelling was the soundtrack to the film of the same name.
After a three year period of personnel changes and mediocre albums, Belle & Sebastian signed to Rough Trade and released Dear Catastrophe Waitress in 2003, followed by The Life Pursuit in 2006.
In January 1996 Glaswegian singer-songwriter Stuart Murdoch created Belle & Sebastian for a music business class project, recruiting Isobel Campbell on cello and vocals, Richard Colburn on drums, Stuart David on bass, Chris Geddes on keyboards, and Stevie Jackson on guitar.
Their music combines the literate Indie Pop of 80s Glasgow band Orange Juice with a gentler and more acoustic feel of Chamber Pop and Twee Pop. The 1,000 self-released copies of Tigermilk sold out quickly. UK indie label Jeepster signed the band and issued If You're Feeling Sinister on November 18, 1996. It received rave reviews, prompting its US release on Enclave on April 22, 1997. The album is now considered their masterpiece.
Between May and October of 1997, Belle & Sebastian released three EPs of all-new material: Dog on Wheels, Lazy Line Painter Jane, and 3.. 6.. 9 Seconds Of Light. After Enclave went under, the band signed to Matador for its US distribution. In February of 1998, the new label re-issued Sinister, bringing the record to an even wider audience.
In August, the band's third full-length, The Boy With The Arab Strap, hit the shelves. With a more varied sound, and featuring lead vocals by Jackson and Campbell, the album was less cohesive than others, eliciting a wide range of reviews. At this time, trumpeter Mick Cooke officially joined the band. In 1999, both Campbell and David issued albums by side projects.
Out May 22, 2000, Belle & Sebastian's Legal Man EP's title track peaked at #15 in the UK, their highest position to date. Released two weeks later, their fourth album, Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant, was sonically scattered and received mixed reviews. Later that year, Stuart David quit in order to devote himself to his other band, Looper.
2001 saw two EPs from the band, Jonathan David on June 18 and I'm Waking Up To Us on November 26. That year, bassist Bobby Kildea joined B&S. Their fifth album was the soundtrack to the 2002 film Storytelling. Released June 3, the disc was weighed down by dialogue snippets and instrumental cuts. Isobel Campbell left mid-tour to focus on her solo career.
In 2003, Belle & Sebastian left Jeepster and signed to Rough Trade. They released album six, Dear Catastrophe Waitress, on October 6. Produced by veteran Trevor Horn, the album was their most cohesive in years and received strong reviews. 2004 saw one EP from the band, Books. 2005's Push Barman To Open Old Wounds compiled their seven Jeepster EPs on two CDs.
On February 6, 2006, B&S issued their seventh full-length, The Life Pursuit. Produced by Tony Hoffer, the record received good reviews and their highest chart positions ever, landing at #8 in the UK and #65 in the US. Lead single Funny Little Frog peaked at #13 in the UK, their highest placement yet.