Belle And Sebastian – The Boy With The Arab Strap (CD)

By their third album in just two years, Stuart Murdoch and company had refined their sound into something quietly devastating, all hushed vocals, chamber pop arrangements, and lyrics that felt like reading someone else's diary. The title track became an unlikely anthem, even lending its name to an entire era of Scottish indie. Released in 1998, this is the record that cemented Belle and Sebastian's cult status on both sides of the Atlantic.