Last Exit is the debut studio album by Canadian electronic music group Junior Boys. It was released on June 7, 2004, by KIN Records in the United Kingdom and on September 21, 2004, by Domino Recording Company in the United States. The album was promoted by two singles: "Birthday" and "High Come Down".
Last Exit received rave reviews from critics. The United States release contains a bonus disc adding songs previously only available on their EPs.
Critical reception
Last Exit received highly positive reviews from music critics. The album holds a score of 89 out of 100 on the review aggregator website Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim". Writing for Pitchfork, Scott Plagenhoef praised the album for its "deceptively simple and very approachable tracks" and remarked that songwriter Jeremy Greenspan was able "to fold elements of nearly a quarter-century of forward-looking pop into a distinct sound without sounding either conceptual or trading on contradictions or the smoke-and-mirrors of attention-grabbing eclecticism." Uncut wrote that "the contrast between romanticism and sonic daring, alien time signatures and freakishly pretty tunes, is irresistible." The Guardians Dorian Lynskey stated that Junior Boys' "spectral vision of electronic pop is an understated, unpredictable delight", while PopMatters Adrien Begrand called Last Exit "a warm, friendly, entirely accessible pop album." Andy Kellman of AllMusic noted that the album's songs "can be enjoyed with or without all of the analysis and context" and praised the duo's "ability to be alluringly aloof". Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly called the album "prettily nostalgic (think New Order, Erasure, Bronski Beat) and gloriously right now."
Accolades The song "Teach Me How to Fight" ranked at number 57 on Porcys' list of the best singles of 2000–2004, as well as number 16 on Screenagers' list of the best songs of the 2000s.
PublicationCountryRankListCokemachineglowCanada19Albums of the YearEye Weekly9Albums of the YearMagicFrance10Albums of the YearPorcysPoland4Albums of the Year22Top 100 Albums from 2000 to 20047Top 100 Albums of the 2000sScreenagers25Albums of the Year4Top 100 Albums of the 2000sB92Serbia16Albums of the YearCD DromeSpain24Albums of the YearMondosonoro17Albums of the YearRockdelux21Albums of the YearNöjesguidenSweden36Albums of the YearSonic16Albums of the YearThe GuardianUK*1000 Albums to Hear Before You DieNo Ripcord10Albums of the YearRough Trade57Albums of the YearUncut15Albums of the YearAllMusicUSA*Albums of the YearLeft Off the Dial14Albums of the YearPitchfork28Albums of the Year76Top 200 Albums of the 2000sPopMatters26Albums of the YearPrefix49Albums of the YearStylus4Albums of the Year26The 50 Best Albums of 2000–200447Top 100 Albums of the 2000sTreble133Top 150 Albums of the 2000sThe Village Voice41Albums of the Year *denotes an unordered list
Track listing
References