How to Start a Fire is the second album by the Pompano Beach, Florida rock band Further Seems Forever, released in 2003 by Tooth & Nail Records.

Gleason would leave the band the following year due to interpersonal tensions and be replaced by former Sense Field singer Jon Bunch.

[3] Musically, the sound of How to Start a Fire has been described as emo[6][7][8] and indie rock,[9] drawing comparisons to the Juliana Theory, Taking Back Sunday,[6] Jimmy Eat World[9] and early Manic Street Preachers.

[11] It introduces string and piano instrumentation into the group's sound and showcases Gleason's vocal style, which was similar to Carrabba's albeit grainer.

[12][7] The lyrics focused on poetic imagery to convey the tone;[7] Gleason offered a darker perspective, in comparison to Carabba, which was mainly pessimistic with overtones of hope.

[16] It starts off partially acoustic before building to an electric ending,[11] in the vein of "For Evangeline" by the Juliana Theory[16] and The Moon Is Down number "Monachett".

[20] In February and March, the band embarked on a headlining US tour, with support from Elliott, the Early November, the Rise, the Beautiful Mistake, Open Hand, and Twothirtyeight.

[37] Cross Rhythms writer Tony Cummings said due to the "smouldering vocals" from Gleason, the "exceptional light-and-shade dynamics" from the group, combined with the "inventive arrangements", it stood as "every bit the equal" to The Moon Is Down.

"[16] AllMusic reviewer Johnny Loftus said Gleason aided the band in making "a focused and fiery sophomore effort" with "a greater understanding of formula.

"[6] Jesus Freak Hideout staff member Sherwin Frias said Gleason carried "the same emotional style as his forebear", which allowed the group "to pick up right where it left off.

"[13] Rolling Stone reviewer Kristin Roth said it "burns with incendiary power-pop guitar riffs and smolders with intensely emotive vocals", with Gleason incorporating "both a harder edge and a softer underbelly to the band's sound".

[32] Arizona Daily Wildcat writer Adam Pugh said the addition of Gleason "changed the whole concept of what the band was" negatively, as they lacked "the intensity of the first album and just sticks with mediocre lyrics and an endless barrage of cry-alongs.

"[38] The Pitch's Geoff Harkness criticized the band for "rely[ing] on paint-by-numbers chord progressions" with "remedial lyrics ... that are scarred from a terminal case of hackney.

"[33] He said the group "might be able to overcome the loss of its original singer, but a second record that continues Fire's trite tradition might as well be titled How to Extinguish a Career.