It isn't like the world needs another Josh Rouse, but since artfully orchestrated singer-songwriter pop is so hard to do well—and since Rouse, the genre's preeminent master, is in a minor creative lull—there are plenty of reasons to spend some time with Jason Collett, a Toronto troubadour whose Idols Of Exile is as sunny and smart as Rouse in his prime. A Canadian rock-scene veteran and auxiliary member of Broken Social Scene, Collett traffics in inventive songs that hew close to the classic rock structures of Bob Dylan and Tom Petty, while adding the sound-bending tinges common to Arts & Crafts recording artists. Idols Of Exile starts with the ethereal, futurist love song "Fire" and ends with the clap-happy retro-stomper "These Are The Days," and along the way, Collett dips his toe into half a dozen genres, including country, folk, and chamber music. There are 12 distinct songs on Idols Of Exile, united by Collett's light touch and sense of snap.