A rock cd you can relax to...reggae style!

Artist: The Exit
Album: Home for an Island
Label: Wind-Up
Tracks: 12 Tracks
Running Time: 49 Minutes

The Exit are slowly becoming a 'guilty pleasure' of mine. For example, as I was playing this cd in my car, I got some crazy looks and such for bumping reggae infused rock in the woods of PA. However, I couldn't resist. Somehow The Exit and their new release "Home For An Island" has became a decent record in my collection. I first heard The Exit two or three years ago on PureVolume. I bookmarked the page, but it became lost in the clutter of my computer. Hence, I was eager to listen to Home For An Island.

One of the things most intriguing about this album is how the lyrics and the inspiration for the album came about. Jeff DeRosa, one of two songwriters in the Exit, wrote the bulk of the album while living on his own for the first time in NYC. “I was sitting in my room wondering what the hell is going on in this world. I would hide in my room and play the guitar on my four-track and not talk to anybody.”, remarks DeRosa. This just adds a bit more fun to reading and interpreting the lyrics. He had a very interesting perspective on the world when he created the songs.

Musically, the reggae influence has been less evident than it was in their earlier music. It's clearly audible on most tracks, though, and does bring a unique sound to the album. Other bits of the album are a lot closer to early punk rock. Each song seems to shift style a bit several times during the track. Several things remain constant though: minor keys and the aforementioned reggae touch. Honestly, it's been a real struggle to try and encompass the musical style of Home For An Island. Hopefully, I'm at least making some sort of sense. Standout tracks are "The Sun Will Rise in Queens" and the opener "Don't Push."

The only thing that nags me about this disc is consistency in sound. I like all of the variety, don't mistake that, but there is such a vast array of sounds on this album that I'm not exactly sure what The Exit are all about yet. However, that curiosity about their identity keeps me listening. The lyrics keep me listening closely in an effort to interpret some of the meaning behind them. So while I'm not completely sure about Home For An Island, it keeps my coming back for another play. 'Home For An Island constantly grows on me and it just might do the same to you.