Album Review: I’m On Fire by Chicks Incorporated (1979)
Let’s get one thing straight—this ain’t your grandma’s record collection. Unless, of course, your grandma was rocking out to some funky, soulful vibes in the late '70s while sipping sherry and wondering why disco hadn’t died yet. Enter I’m On Fire, a gloriously weird mashup of Funk/Soul, Rock, and Electronic grooves from Australia’s very own Chicks Incorporated. Released under RCA Victor in 1979, this album feels like someone threw a bunch of genres into a blender and hit "puree." Spoiler alert: it kinda works.
First off, let’s talk about “B Side The C Side.” Yeah, yeah, I know—that title sounds like they couldn’t decide what to call it, so they just shrugged and slapped something random on there. But don’t let that fool ya. This track is an absolute earworm. It’s got this swaggering pop-rock vibe with just enough new wave quirkiness to keep things interesting. You can practically hear the sequins shimmering as you listen. The bassline? Smooooooth. Like butter melting over hot toast. And those synths? Oh man, they’re all kinds of retro-futuristic deliciousness. If this song doesn’t make you want to bust out some questionable dance moves in your living room, then buddy, you might need to check your pulse.
Then there’s the titular banger, “I’m On Fire.” No, it’s not Bruce Springsteen’s heartland anthem, but honestly, who asked for that? This version leans hard into its funk roots, with a rhythm section that could wake the dead—or at least get them tapping their toes. Kim Wheeler and Danny Patchin clearly had a blast writing this one because it oozes confidence without taking itself too seriously. There’s something delightfully chaotic about how the vocals bounce around like pinballs in an arcade machine. Producer Miriam Curtis deserves props here; she managed to wrangle all these wild elements together without losing the spark (pun totally intended).
Now, full disclosure: engineer Peter Wragg probably earned his paycheck dealing with whatever madness went down during recording sessions. Imagine trying to mix funk, rock, electronic beats, AND pop sensibilities into something coherent. Dude must’ve needed a stiff drink—or twelve—afterward. Still, he pulled it off, bless him.
So, would I recommend I’m On Fire? Absolutely, if only for the sheer audacity of it all. It’s messy, unpredictable, and occasionally brilliant—a bit like life itself. Listening to this album feels like stumbling into a house party where everyone’s having way too much fun, even though half the guests aren’t entirely sure why.
And hey, isn’t that what music’s supposed to be about? Not perfection, but connection. Or maybe just really good excuses to boogie. Either way, hats off to Chicks Incorporated for making something this delightfully unhinged. Now excuse me while I go see if my cat will tolerate me playing air guitar again.
