They soon released an album Tigermilk - 1,000 copies released on vinyl only, and recorded in three days flat. Feeling Sinister came out in November 1996. But the seven students wanted the band to remain a very small scale affair, and not to let the band run their lives. They continued to receive a lot of media interest for their style and with each EP they released, seemed to get more attention. With The Arab Strap came out in 1998.
Publicity is more by word of mouth than anything else.
But they have maintained the same line-up for their career, though after the recording of this album, founding member Stuart David left the group to concentrate on a solo career. Responsibilities on bass are now handled by Mick Cooke , who also plays trumpet. Their style is still completely unassuming, yet absorbing. Mellow but challenging. Strings, trumpets, and non-thrashy guitars blend seamlessly in creating a gorgeous musical picture that takes folk images from decades past, and mixes them with a feel that is definitely of the present.