On Fire (Galaxie 500 album)
On Fire | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 20, 1989[1] | |||
Recorded | 1989 | |||
Studio | Noise New York | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 40:13 | |||
Label | Rough Trade | |||
Producer | Mark Kramer | |||
Galaxie 500 chronology | ||||
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Singles from On Fire | ||||
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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]
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chicago Tribune | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mojo | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 7/10[11] |
Pitchfork | 10/10[2] |
Record Collector | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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]
Track listing
[edit]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 |
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from liner notes.
Galaxie 500
- Damon Krukowski – drums
- Dean Wareham – guitar, vocals
- Naomi Yang – bass guitar, vocals on "Another Day"
Additional personnel
- Mark Kramer – production, engineering, "cheap organ" on "Isn't It a Pity"
- Ralph Carney – tenor saxophone on "Decomposing Trees"
Charts
[edit]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 |
Release history
[edit]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 |
References
[edit]- ^ McGonigal, Mike (2013). "On The Floor". Temperature's Rising Galaxie 500: An Oral and Visual History (1st ed.). Verse Chorus Press. p. 101. ISBN 978-1-8912-4156-7.
- ^ a b Richardson, Mark (March 30, 2010). "Galaxie 500: Today / On Fire / This Is Our Music". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
- ^ a b "The 30 Best Dream Pop Albums". Pitchfork. April 16, 2018. p. 3. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
- ^ Pitchfork Staff (September 10, 2018). "The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
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.
- ^ a b c Sheffield, Rob (2004). "Galaxie 500". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 321. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ a b "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ a b "Official Independent Album Breakers Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ Raggett, Ned. "On Fire – Galaxie 500". AllMusic. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
- ^ Kot, Greg (November 23, 1989). "Galaxie 500: On Fire (Rough Trade)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
- ^ Segal, Victoria (April 2010). "Galaxie 500: Today / On Fire / This Is Our Music". Mojo. No. 197.
- ^ Collins, Andrew (October 28, 1989). "Galaxie 500: On Fire". NME. p. 38.
- ^ "Galaxie 500: Today / On Fire / This Is Our Music". Record Collector. No. 373. March 2010. p. 87.
- ^ Azerrad, Michael (March 22, 1990). "Galaxie 500: On Fire". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
- ^ Sheffield, Rob (1995). "Galaxie 500". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. p. 162. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (March 13, 1990). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
- ^ Clark, Pete (December 1989). "Review: Galaxie 500 — On Fire" (PDF). Hi-Fi News & Record Review (magazine). Vol. 34, no. 12. Croydon: Link House Magazines Ltd. p. 140. ISSN 0142-6230. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "The Top 100 Albums of the 1980s". Pitchfork. November 21, 2002. p. 9. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ Lea, Tom; Morpurgo, Joseph; Kelly, Chris; Twells, John; Ravens, Chal; Muggs, Joe; Law, Ruaridh; Rix, Peter; Gunn, Tam (June 24, 2013). "The 100 Best Albums of the 1980s". Fact. p. 51. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ Lazell, Barry (1997). "Galaxie 500". Indie Hits 1980–1989: The Complete U.K. Independent Charts (Singles & Albums). Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-95172-069-4. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
External links
[edit]- On Fire at Discogs (list of releases)
- On Fire at MusicBrainz (list of releases)