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. Blake
    Jul 25, 2007
    10
    BEST ALBUM OF ALL TIME!!! Beautiful little gem.
  2. tim
    May 22, 2007
    9
    I forgot about this record. 2005 was such an aweful year it was hard to find true gems in a sea of crap. I used to get them confused with Azure Ray, Let's Go Sailing, Midnight Movies, High Violets and Frou Frou so I kind of clumped them in that whole nugazer catagory. This record proves their on a level of their own. Excellent!
  3. Logan
    May 14, 2007
    10
    Truly wonderful! Filled with tons and tons marvelous songs from start to finish. Great music that anyone can enjoy.
  4. Ronnie
    May 5, 2007
    10
    My favorite album of 05. A real gem from this talented canadian band.
  5. SamK
    Apr 23, 2007
    10
    A Modern Mastepiece. I try to listen to it everyday.
  6. RocoC
    Apr 22, 2007
    10
    Great album about love.
  7. Frank
    Apr 22, 2007
    10
    Lovely and beautiful! Another fine album by my favorite band in music. Buy this album, you won't regret.
  8. DamienD
    Apr 8, 2007
    10
    Lovely, beautiful, amazing and a joy to listen to. One of my personal favorites.
  9. samantha
    Mar 17, 2007
    10
    i love this cd. the music just lifts my mood
  10. DJ
    Mar 10, 2007
    10
    Best album of 05. Pop music at it's finest.
  11. MeatBag
    Mar 10, 2007
    10
    Talk about consistensy. This band has already made three damn good albums. But this one has to be my favorite, is just so beautiful, catchy & poetic. Hopefully, there next album can be as good.
  12. AC
    Mar 10, 2007
    10
    Another great by album by Stars, they've simply becomed my 2nd favorite band (behind Interpol) working right now in the music industry, there unique and beautiful to listen to. After, "Heart" I didn'y think they were capable of matching the greatness of that album...boy was I wrong! Even though, I prefer "Heart" alittle bit more, SYOF is still an incredible follow-up and in Another great by album by Stars, they've simply becomed my 2nd favorite band (behind Interpol) working right now in the music industry, there unique and beautiful to listen to. After, "Heart" I didn'y think they were capable of matching the greatness of that album...boy was I wrong! Even though, I prefer "Heart" alittle bit more, SYOF is still an incredible follow-up and in someways just as good. Once again, there's no better duo in music right now togther than Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan, there amazing together! Talk about chemistry. There lush, sophisticated, harmoic and soothing music is like no other. This is another perfect pop record by them. My favorite album of 03. Can't wait for there next one!… Expand
  13. AliC
    Feb 15, 2007
    9
    A genuinely brilliant album. This is intelligent, layered and emotive pop that crawls under your skin. The comparisons with the delgados are well deserved. And like the delgados, this band will probably remain relatively unknown despite their clear superioroty over much of the rest of the marketplace.
  14. JulianaV
    Jan 9, 2007
    10
    Just GREAT
  15. Devon
    Nov 1, 2006
    10
    so great. I love it! BUY NOW! the songs are so amazing.
  16. MarkF
    Oct 17, 2006
    9
    The little band that could. A beautiful record that take a few listenings to realize how thrilling it is. Stars seems so modest and nondescript that the beauty of the music could easily be overlooked. Stars are like a more cohesive and tuneful version of the Delgados.
  17. ReginaH
    Sep 12, 2006
    9
    Can't get enough!
  18. williamo
    Mar 9, 2006
    9
    This is not just a good band on album! You have to see them in show! They are amazing!
  19. K.H.
    Feb 11, 2006
    10
    Great vibe! The lyrics are well written and correspond perfectly with the mellow instruments! I love it!
  20. AmandaK
    Jan 31, 2006
    10
    i love this album alot...although i must admit i like heart better
  21. LeoT
    Jan 11, 2006
    10
    Deeply poetic without being pretentious, intelligent without being esoteric, novel while being sublime.
  22. mikels
    Jan 3, 2006
    10
    a clean, delicious, intricate album that deserves 10 listens before judging, then a listen per day. overly incredible live, with swirling washes of sound moving through the crowd. my new favorite band!
  23. DaveH
    Dec 23, 2005
    9
    As good as an album can be without changing your life.
  24. SergioM
    Nov 23, 2005
    10
    Fantastic... Stars evokes the call and respone of Human League, the quiet beauty of Belle & Sebastian, and the delight in pop of Prefab Spout. When did the indie Canadian scene become this fantastic? One of the best albums of 2005
  25. MartinW
    Oct 31, 2005
    10
    This album is amazing, covering deep spectrums musically and lyrically. An unpraised band masters another record. I saw them recently and they are just as wonderful live. Even met a couple of them and they are the humblest people I've ever met in that position.
  26. AlfredT.
    Oct 22, 2005
    10
    I can honestly say that this is my favorite album (not without heavy competition) but there just isn't an album that I love front to back, back to front as much as this one. I got it on my I-tunes (I did actually purchase the album by the way) and I got all the songs rated with five stars except "He Lied About Death" (which has four). I always loved this album but what put it at the I can honestly say that this is my favorite album (not without heavy competition) but there just isn't an album that I love front to back, back to front as much as this one. I got it on my I-tunes (I did actually purchase the album by the way) and I got all the songs rated with five stars except "He Lied About Death" (which has four). I always loved this album but what put it at the top was after seeing them live earlier this year. It was amazing and if you get a chance to see them live please don't miss the opportunity. I promise you will not regret it.… Expand
  27. JustinV
    Oct 17, 2005
    10
    Amazing CD....total at ease, chill tone.
  28. ElizabethP
    Oct 13, 2005
    10
    This band is a awesome but not as emotionally driven as the Arcade Fire. This is how pop music should be catchy, bouncing, and memorable. Another terrific band from Canada!
  29. MusicMaven
    Sep 16, 2005
    8
    A baroque production which encompasses chiming guitars, tinkling synths, and complimentary male/female vocals in support of excellent songs about the vagaries of love and relationships. Stars manage to avoid letting the songs become too twee or emo -- it's simply ace indie-pop.
  30. PaulM
    Aug 19, 2005
    10
    It really is wonderful and 'Ageless Beauty' has to be one of the greatest indie pop songs of all time.
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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 »