Galaxie 500 formed in 1987, when grunge was becoming amajor factor in the US music scene. But the sound these three Harvard graduatesproduced was completely at odds with the fuzzed-up power of their peers. Evenon their finest hour, On Fire, Galaxie 500’s music is subtle and slow burning.It doesn’t reveal its secrets immediately.

Released in 1989, On Fire is the group’s second album.With the help of producer Kramer, the songs sound slightly distanced, which hasthe effect of drawing in the listener to meet them halfway. The majestic BlueThunder acquires a cumulative power as it moves through a typical succession ofverses followed by chorus sections of Wareham’s wordless falsetto. There’s asubtle surge in energy when Yang joins in on backing vocals before the songconcludes with a brief, cathartic guitar solo. Krukowski’s rumbling toms andChinese cymbal crashes vivify Snowstorm, Wareham’s tale of his TV “going wild”as the snow falls outside. He adds psychedelic wah-wah and then cuts loose withsome unhinged lead guitar.