''Fireboy'' is the second solo album by

Grant McLennan Grant William McLennan (12 February 19586 May 2006) was an Australian alternative rock singer-songwriter-guitarist. He co-founded the Go-Betweens with Robert Forster in Brisbane in 1977. In addition to his work with the Go-Betweens (1977–89, ...

, a member of

the Go-Betweens The Go-Betweens were an Australian indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1977. The band was co-founded and led by singer-songwriters and guitarists Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, who were its only constant members throughout it ...

. It was released in 1993. In the album's liner notes McLennan said the songs were for

Gloria Swanson Gloria May Josephine Swanson (March 27, 1899April 4, 1983) was an American actress and producer. She first achieved fame acting in dozens of silent films in the 1920s and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, most f ...

Kenneth Slessor Kenneth Adolphe Slessor (27 March 190130 June 1971) was an Australian poet, journalist and official war correspondent in World War II. He was one of Australia's leading poets, notable particularly for the absorption of modernist influences int ...

Brett Whiteley Brett Whiteley AO (7 April 1939 – 15 June 1992) was an Australian artist. He is represented in the collections of all the large Australian galleries, and was twice winner of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes. He held many exhibitions ...

and

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

. Produced by

Dave Dobbyn Sir David Joseph Dobbyn (born 3 January 1957) is a New Zealand musician, singer–songwriter and record producer. In his early career he was a member of the rock group Th' Dudes and was the main creative force in pop band DD Smash. Since then he ...

, it was recorded in

Woolloomooloo Woolloomooloo ( ) is a harbourside, inner-city eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Woolloomooloo is 1.5 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney. It is in a low ...

. The first single was "Surround Me".

Critical reception

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'' called the album "a near-perfect convergence of observant, passionate words and jangly, surging tunes." The ''

Calgary Herald The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network. History ''The ...

'' wrote that McLennan "sings with conviction ndpoetic insight."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

wrote: "If there are hints of older rock styles here and there, McLennan's singing in particular still has the sharp, modern edge that helped make the Go-Betweens great, all while not losing his trademark warmth."

Track listing

All tracks written by Grant McLennan, except where noted. # "Lighting Fires" – 3:36 # "Surround Me" – 3:55 # "One Million Miles From Here" – 3:45 # "The Dark Side of Town" – 3:46 # "Things Will Change" – 2:45 # "The Pawnbroker" – 8:12 # "Whose Side Are You On?" – 3:09 # "Fingers" (Grant McLennan,

)– 3:34 # "Signs of Life" – 4:23 # "The Day My Eyes Came Back" – 4:08 # "Bathe (in the Water)" – 3:30 # "When I Close My Eyes" – 1:24 # "Riddle in the Rain" – 6:29

Personnel

– vocals, guitars, tambourine, maracas *

– guitars, keyboards, backing vocals * Ian Belton – bass * Pedro Bull – organ, piano * Michael Barclay – drums, backing vocals * Penny Flanagan – vocals ("Surround Me", "Bathe") * Julia Richardson – vocals ("Surround Me", "Bathe") * Karin Jansson – vocals ("The Dark Side of Town", "Things Will Change") * Mae Moore – vocals ("Bathe") * Nicky Ferguson – vocals ("Lighting Fires") * Stephen Hurley – organ ("Bathe")

References

{{Authority control 1993 albums Grant McLennan albums