This spring, when barbecue season is in full force, you'll need some tunes to match the mood provided by the sunshine and smell of charcoal. That mood will be enhanced nicely by Home For an Island, the 2005 album from New York City's The Exit, a foursome of talented indie rockers with a heavy reggae vibe.

Slinging these tunes are singer/guitarist Ben Brewer, drummer Gunnar Olsen, guitarist/keyboardist Grey McMurray, and bassist Jeff DaRosa, who has since left the Exit to replace Marc "The Kid" Orell in the Dropkick Murphys. Though they do employ sounds of the Caribbean, the Exit are primarily a rock band, just one that can boost their feelgood vibe with a touch of reggae.

The album opens with "Don't Push," which effectively balances laid back grooves and light vocals with energetic drumming and a catchy chorus of "don't push your love away." They up the energy even more on the guitar-heavy "Let's Go to Haiti" with its rock riffs and grittier vocals. "Pressure Cooker" has a stabbing guitar part that creates a nice, speedy beat, as the song gradually rises toward one of the album's peppiest, right up there with "Tell Me Again."

The Exit's reggae sound should go over well with the jam band crowd, as I can easily imagine their funky grooves lasting a while when performed live. "Back to the Rebels" is strong with the rasta-rock sound that should please several types of music fans. "So Leave Then" is a sad song, but its strong Calypso vibe makes it hard not to enjoy. "The Sun Will Rise In Queens" is a fairly epic-sounding song with great guitar playing to keep what could have been a easy-going tune very much a rocker.

"Warm Summer Days" is not quite the feelgood track you'd expect from the title, as it contains an angrier vibe due to specific lyrics about the cost of the Iraq War. On the flip side, "Soldier" is a simpler, harmonica-backed, acoustic song, though it packs a lot of emotion through lyrics that express sadness and depression over war: "She said 'Baby, do you believe there is a God?' / And I said 'Baby, lately I don't believe in much anything.'"

So next time you're in the mood for some rock infused with a heaping dose of reggae - or if you're just looking for some good, upbeat tunes - try the Exit. Home For an Island is a fun, thoughtful album from a talented up-and-coming band that hopefully will not be exiting the music scene anytime soon.


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