The Exit - Home For an Island

With an extended re-release of 2004’s Home for an Island, the political rockers known as The Exit are back; although it’s hard to look past the rehash to see the polish beneath. This is a passionate, hard-working and consistent group; re-recording their original EP was uncalled for. The re-mastered tracks have better production values, but since the lyrics are still at times muffled, such an overhaul was unnecessary. This version brings us no closer to the crackling energy of The Exit than the EP. And yet, they haven’t lost anything either. They’re still just as good as last year, singing their heartfelt plaints about war in long, trembling laments and dirges for the lost, in much the same way (though perhaps more and less subtly) as Green Day has begun to. Still, in their title track, The Exit speaks of a world “where rebels fly in on airplanes” and makes a positive conclusion that they “hear new beats, [they] hear new sounds.” So then, it’s disappointing that much of their year seems to have been spent rehashing the past, as if they were a musical representation of Democrats. And it’s disappointing that “Pressure Cooker,” one of three new songs, only manages to ask “Why don’t we say what we want to say?” all the whle remaining incredibly evasive despite the effusive and aggressive punctuations of “Attention!,” which call to mind our aimless military. It’s more disappointing when “Tell Me All Again,” the next song on the CD, reminds listeners that “Pressure Cooker” is just the palest shadow of The Exit’s potential. Thankfully, “The Sun Will Rise in Queens,” another new song, is progressive experimentation at its finest, replete with contemplative lyrics: “Just because you live, doesn’t mean you’re living now.” Rather than just driving forward—though they do cram quite a few syllables into each beat—The Exit warbles and plays with harmonic dissonance. That carefully considered chaos, like the harmonica-based lament of “Soldier” (“I see the war/I see the headlines/Fall from the sky/Just like the rain”) is a modern type of country/folk but still viscous enough to be hard rock. One only wishes to hear more of those short, sharp exhalations of breath that shift anticipation and tension into progressive thought (“Don’t Push” and “So Leave Then” are filled with them). Still, if they thought a year was necessary to solidify their strength and to grow internally before a true new release, it can be excused. For while the music may not be the most original or innovative, these are true thinkers with clear lyrics and great voices. These are songs that need to be heard. [www.theexitrock.com]