Set Yourself On Fire
by Stars
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 94 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 85 out of 94
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 94
  3. Negative: 7 out of 94

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  1. DavidM
    Sep 2, 2005
    5
    After a year of tracking music on Metacritic, I've come to realize it's number one flaw...it constantly leads to an over-inflated evaluation of middle-of-the-road, immaculately produced, pretty pop albums such as these. I'll be straightforward here, I gravitate towards extremes...extreme mellow, extreme volume, extreme aggression, extreme introspections...the danger zones. After a year of tracking music on Metacritic, I've come to realize it's number one flaw...it constantly leads to an over-inflated evaluation of middle-of-the-road, immaculately produced, pretty pop albums such as these. I'll be straightforward here, I gravitate towards extremes...extreme mellow, extreme volume, extreme aggression, extreme introspections...the danger zones. Safe stuff like this is never going to sell me completely. That said, even with my biases, this album does not deserve an 8, immaculate production does not compensate for average songs and average musical ideas. It's not bad, and it's way better than the Go Betweens, but like the Go Betweens, vastly overrated and none too inspiring. None of the emotional charge of Montreal counterparts Arcade Fire.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

59
#59 Best Album of 2005
65
#65 Most Discussed Album of 2005
15
#15 Most Shared Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Pitchfork
    84
    Set Yourself on Fire is about breaking up and breaking down, and as such the album feels wontedly cathartic, like the moments right after you hit your emotional nadir and start getting your shit together. Stars handle the mood delicately with few slip-ups; my only complaint is that they never handle much of anything else.
    Read full review
  2. Rolling Stone
    80
    Stars sound confident enough to set anything on fire.
    Read full review
  3. Spin
    91
    Delicate Casio-toned anthems. [Mar 2005, p.91]
See all critic reviews »