On Fire (Galaxie 500 album)

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 and number 10 on the UK Independent Album Breakers Chart.

Music

On Fire's music has been described as "droning doleful." According to Jenn Pelly of Pitchfork: "On Fire sounds like the Velvet Underground slowly warming up as if the instruments have eclipsed one another, moving with the crawl of a cloud." The album contains elements of neo-psychedelia.

Critical reception

Pete Clark of Hi-Fi [News & Record Review] described the album as " through the speakers, encircling the unwary listener with snaking lines of guitar, restrained percussion and a confessional-style vocal."
The [Rolling Stone Album Guide] called it Galaxie 500's "best album by far". In 2002, Pitchfork placed it at number 16 on its "Top 100 Albums of the 1980s" list. In 2013, Fact placed it at number 51 on its "100 Best Albums of the 1980s" list. In 2018, Pitchfork ranked it fourth on its "The 30 Best Dream Pop Albums" list.

Personnel

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

Chart	Peak position
UK Independent Album Breakers	10