| On Fire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 20, 1989 (1989-10-20)[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1989 | |||
| Studio | Noise New York | |||
| Genre |
| |||
| Length | 40:13 | |||
| Label | Rough Trade | |||
| Producer | Mark Kramer | |||
| Galaxie 500 chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from On Fire | ||||
| ||||
On Fire is the second studio album by American indie rock band Galaxie 500, released in 1989 on Rough Trade Records.
In 2010, the album was re-issued and peaked at number 45 on the UK Independent Albums Chart[6] and number 10 on the UK Independent Album Breakers Chart.[7]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [9] |
| Mojo | [10] |
| NME | 7/10[11] |
| Pitchfork | 10/10[2] |
| Record Collector | [12] |
| Rolling Stone | [13] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 8/10[14] |
| The Village Voice | B[15] |
Pete Clark of Hi-Fi News & Record Review described the album as "[sliding] through the speakers, encircling the unwary listener with snaking lines of guitar, restrained percussion and a confessional-style vocal."[16]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide called it Galaxie 500's "best album by far".[5] In 2002, Pitchfork placed it at number 16 on its "Top 100 Albums of the 1980s" list.[17] In 2013, Fact placed it at number 51 on its "100 Best Albums of the 1980s" list.[18] In 2018, Pitchfork ranked it fourth on its "The 30 Best Dream Pop Albums" list.[3]
All tracks are written by Galaxie 500, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Blue Thunder" | 3:45 | |
| 2. | "Tell Me" | 3:50 | |
| 3. | "Snowstorm" | 5:10 | |
| 4. | "Strange" | 3:16 | |
| 5. | "When Will You Come Home" | 5:21 | |
| 6. | "Decomposing Trees" | 4:05 | |
| 7. | "Another Day" | 3:41 | |
| 8. | "Leave the Planet" | 2:40 | |
| 9. | "Plastic Bird" | 3:15 | |
| 10. | "Isn't It a Pity" | George Harrison | 5:10 |
| Total length: | 40:13 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Victory Garden" | Steve Cunningham, Mayo Thompson | 2:48 |
| 12. | "Ceremony" | Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Bernard Sumner | 5:55 |
| 13. | "Cold Night" | 2:36 | |
| Total length: | 51:32 | ||
Credits adapted from liner notes.
Galaxie 500
Additional personnel
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Independent Albums (MRIB)[19] | 7 |
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[6] | 45 |
| UK Independent Album Breakers (OCC)[7] | 10 |
| Year | Label | Format | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Rough Trade | LP, CD, cassette | UK |
| 1989 | Rough Trade US | LP, CD | US |
| 1997 | Rykodisc | LP, CD | US |
| 2009 | 20/20/20 | LP | US |
Dream pop is so often thought of as downcast and demure, but the blazing guitar solos on "Strange" or the screaming saxophone lines of "Decomposing Trees" make it clear that this is an album of propulsion and weight.
|
| |
|---|---|
| |
| Studio albums |
|
| Compilation albums |
|
| Live albums |
|
| Related |
|
