Music
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best Of 2009
Best Of 2008
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
Best Of 2004
Best Of 2003
Best Of 2002
Best Of 2001
Best Of 2000
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
62
50 Cent
70
AFI
65
Air
70
Alice In Chains
53
Kris Allen
78
Amerie
79
Annie
76
Anti-Pop Consortium
86
The Antlers![]()
75
Arctic Monkeys
68
As Tall As Lions
82
Atlas Sound![]()
77
The Avett Brothers
67
Backstreet Boys
59
Bad Lieutenant
68
Devendra Banhart
71
Lou Barlow
88
Baroness![]()
69
Basement Jaxx
81
David Bazan![]()
72
Beak>
72
Brendan Benson
84
Biffy Clyro![]()
72
The Big Pink
95
Big Star![]()
46
Billy Talent
75
The Black Crowes
72
The Black Heart Procession
68
Blitzen Trapper
75
BLK JKS
53
Bon Jovi
76
A.A. Bondy
65
Boys Like Girls
76
Brand New
73
Tyondai Braxton
83
Brother Ali![]()
72
Ian Brown
75
Michael Buble
77
Built To Spill
61
Colbie Caillat
78
Califone
69
Mariah Carey
81
Brandi Carlile![]()
72
Julian Casablancas
83
Rosanne Cash![]()
71
Castanets
65
The Cave Singers
82
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis![]()
64
Exene Cervenka
79
Vic Chesnutt
75
Choir Of Young Believers
81
Circulatory System![]()
67
The Clean
84
The Clientele![]()
72
Cold Cave
85
Converge![]()
71
Eric Copeland
76
The Cribs
79
Cymbals Eat Guitars
62
Dashboard Confessional
71
Datarock
59
Dead By Sunrise
76
Dead Man's Bones
77
Del The Funky Homosapien & Tame One
88
Destroyer![]()
73
Do Make Say Think
63
The Dodos
77
Drive-By Truckers
67
Bob Dylan
58
Echo & The Bunnymen
61
Electric Six
44
The Entrance Band
69
Fanfarlo
71
Jay Farrar And Benjamin Gibbard
63
Felix Da Housecat
68
Fink
66
Orenda Fink
79
The Flaming Lips
66
Flight Of The Conchords
79
Florence And The Machine
67
John Fogerty
83
Fuck Buttons![]()
71
Nelly Furtado
47
Gary Go
68
Ghostface Killah
79
Girls
69
Gossip
62
David Gray
66
David Guetta
65
Calvin Harris
79
Richard Hawley
74
Mayer Hawthorne
66
Headlights
79
HEALTH
77
Joe Henry
67
Hockey
67
Whitney Houston
80
Hudson Mohawke
68
Imogen Heap
59
Jack Ingram
79
Islands
74
Jamie T
65
Jay-Z
51
Jet
68
Daniel Johnston
76
Norah Jones
77
Karen O And The Kids
72
Toby Keith
69
Kid Cudi
75
Kid Sister
66
Kings Of Convenience
62
Sean Kingston
64
KISS
63
Mark Knopfler
73
Kris Kristofferson
68
KRS-One & Buckshot
76
La Roux
85
Miranda Lambert![]()
72
Ledisi
71
Sondre Lerche
56
Juliette Lewis
62
Leona Lewis
82
Lightning Bolt![]()
74
Little Dragon
44
Pixie Lott
83
Patty Loveless![]()
73
Lyle Lovett
79
Lucero
75
Baaba Maal
77
Madness
84
Madonna![]()
85
Manic Street Preachers![]()
61
Maps
73
Mario
55
Massive Attack
57
Matisyahu
62
John Mayer
67
Reba McEntire
66
Tim McGraw
65
Brian McKnight
79
Mew
75
Mika
68
Amy Millan
76
Mission Of Burma
75
Molina And Johnson
80
Monsters Of Folk
66
Morrissey
85
Mount Eerie![]()
76
The Mountain Goats
62
Múm
72
Muse
66
Willie Nelson
82
Nirvana![]()
96
Nirvana![]()
80
No Age
71
Noah And The Whale
75
Noisettes
79
Nudge
64
OneRepublic
47
Dolores O'Riordan
74
Os Mutantes
78
Osso
67
Alec Ounsworth
81
Owen![]()
73
Paramore
78
Pastels And Tenniscoats
54
Sean Paul
80
Pearl Jam
69
Jemina Pearl
72
Jack Penate
65
Phish
82
Pissed Jeans![]()
61
Pitbull
79
A Place To Bury Strangers
79
Polvo
72
Porcupine Tree
72
Port O'Brien
79
Q-Tip
79
R.E.M.
88
Raekwon![]()
69
Rain Machine
70
Ramona Falls
75
Dizzee Rascal
74
The Raveonettes
79
Real Estate
76
Jay Reatard
81
Rodrigo Y Gabriela![]()
66
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
78
Russian Circles
69
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions
78
Say Anything
61
Sally Shapiro
78
Shudder To Think
70
Simian Mobile Disco
58
Simple Minds
72
Six Organs Of Admittance
80
Slayer
61
The Slits
77
Speech Debelle
58
Spiral Stairs
55
Steel Panther
75
Sufjan Stevens
52
Rod Stewart
68
Joss Stone
83
Barbra Streisand![]()
77
A Sunny Day In Glasgow
74
Susanna And The Magical Orchestra
79
The Swell Season
80
David Sylvian
83
Taken By Trees![]()
80
Tegan And Sara
68
The Temper Trap
78
The Dutchess & The Duke
71
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
74
Them Crooked Vultures
72
Themselves
82
They Might Be Giants![]()
66
J Tillman
69
Times New Viking
57
Tokio Hotel
67
Trey Songz
73
Frank Turner
71
The Twilight Sad
60
Carrie Underwood
56
The Used
68
Various Artists
69
Various Artists
77
The Very Best
70
Kurt Vile
65
Vivian Girls
71
Volcano Choir
73
Rufus Wainwright
78
Wale
57
Weezer
81
White Denim![]()
76
Why?
83
Wild Beasts![]()
80
Wildbirds & Peacedrums
69
Robbie Williams
59
Andrew W.K.
65
Wolfmother
84
The xx![]()
79
Yo La Tengo
83
Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band![]()
52
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
59
Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Idols Of Exile

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 12 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 13 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Arts & Crafts
Release Date: 07 February 2006
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Indie, Rock, Singer-Songwriter
Summary
Howie Beck produced this latest studio outing for the Toronto singer-songwriter, who is also a member of Broken Social Scene. Many members of that band guest on this record, including Emily Haines and Kevin Drew.
Also By This Artist: Here's To Being Here
Also On Metacritic
MUSIC: Broken Social Scene: Broken Social Scene
Also On The Web: Jason Collett @ Arts & Crafts
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The Onion (A.V. Club)
There are 12 distinct songs on Idols Of Exile, united by Collett's light touch and sense of snap.
Read Full Review >Filter
It's a roots record unashamed of its roots, derivative maybe only because it's so unabashedly traditional. [#19, p.102]
Stylus Magazine
Idols is not quite “country” enough to tackle the road to the prairies, but the headspace of the album is clearly in a place with plenty of room to breathe.
Read Full Review >Slant Magazine
At his most direct, he fully holds his own against the likes of [Ryan] Adams or Ron Sexsmith, and for his compositional skill, Idols Of Exile is perhaps a more consistent album than either of those two has released.
Read Full Review >Prefix Magazine
Simplicity works here, and even though the album may not have a clear direction, the array of song topics is catchy enough to make this alt-rock/indie/country/folk experience work.
Read Full Review >NOW Magazine
It's Collett's ability to lyrically and aurally crystallize moments in time that makes this album such a delight.
Read Full Review >Paste Magazine
Collett dispenses with the mundane conventions of the singer/songwriter genre as he forges portraits both intimate and worldly over engaging arrangements and lyrics. [Apr/May 2006, p.115]
Pitchfork
Idols of Exile is consistently solid; the songs are fully realized and, ultimately, memorable.
Read Full Review >Under The Radar
One of the greatest singer-songwriter albums to come out of Canada in the last ten years. [#12, p.90]
Uncut
Collett's debut album reveals him as an alt.country confessionalist akin to Paul Westerberg. [Apr 2006, p.108]
All Music Guide
It is a more stripped-down affair compared to Broken Social Scene's more ambitious material.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
[An] interesting album. [Apr 2006, p.204]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.6 (out of 10) based on 13 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Zach F gave it a9:
On Idols of Exile, Jason Collett shows an exceptionally mature and sophisticated singer-songwriter divergence from his work on Broken Social Scene's self-titled album. With help from the rest of the Arts and Crafts pool, Collet creates masterful vocal and instrumental arrangements reminiscent of Wilco's A Ghost Is Born, though Idols proves to be an even more traditionally based take on the Indie-Alt-Country angle. A terrific release and a wonderful new asset for the growing Arts and Crafts empire.
Garth E gave it a9:
Fine debut album. The compilation does not fit into one genre. Taken individually per song he keeps to the chosen standard and makes each his own. Can be digested after several listens, but asks you to come back for many more, which is why I gave it a 9.
[Anonymous] gave it a10:
Solid, Top to bottom
Max C gave it a9:
This album totally knocked me out. 'Fire', 'We All Lose One Another' and 'Tinsel and Sawdust' are amongst the fines songs I've heard in years. Every song is completely distinct from the other, production is down-to-earth yet unbelievably rich and wonderful. Oh - and you'll want 'I'll Bring the Sun' to be your anthem for the summer the second you fall for its Cure-like hook. Such a great and honest album!
Cables gave it a9:
Surprisingly polished but immediately friendly in comparison to the latest effort from broken social scene. A very powerful pop album.
Americo gave it a5:
déjà vu ...
Ron H gave it a9:
Very nice album. Can't wait to listen to this one in the sunshine.
