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Written
by Aaron Ellis, posted by blog admin
Rhett
Repko isn’t reinventing the wheel with his sound. Instead he’s putting a little oil and grease
on a style that hasn’t received any polish in far too long. On this EP debut, Rhett takes a few greasy
bits of rock n’ roll, removes the fat with some pop and explores the fringes of
several other genres. There is no
unifying theme which offers variety instead of one note wonder tracks that lack
substance. Each song on this About Last
Night affair stands by itself.
Nimble
acoustic guitar patterns, rock-solid traditional time-keeping and surges of
riff smashing groove cement “Were You Ever Really Mine?” as a sturdy piece of
work right from the first 6 string lick.
A folk/pop breeziness gusts through the verses as the choruses line up
some hard-hitting rock intoxication that’s suited to a bar atmosphere; it’s a
dichotomy that’s hard to maneuver around properly, but Repko is up to the
task. Also up for the task are his vocal
chords, stretching to higher melodies when the music opens wide and going lower
during the straight rock bits. “She Loves
Me” mines a similar ethic, only replacing the standard pop hooks for a gruffer,
gravellier country romp. The acoustic
melodies have an old school, wagon train feel as they run roughshod into lead
guitarist Stefan Heuer’s licks and riffs.
Without a doubt, “She Loves Me” is the most memorable cut on an EP
packed with great tunes.
The
cinematic musicianship and searing vocal drama of “About Last Night” makes for
a prime ballad, as it allows acoustic guitars to quietly escalate to an
acrobatic chorus that shines thanks to Repko’s pristine voice in addition to
the back-up singers, orchestrated instrumentation and meshing of several
different harmonies together. “Inside of
Me” is a light hearted garage rocker that trades the dirty fuzz that the style
is known for with a greater emphasis on radio-friendly songwriting. “On the Run” is a further exploration of
light-hearted acoustics trading shots with whiskey drinking guitar rock, paving
the path for “Bye Bye Baby’s” plaintive acoustic/vocal only combo. It would have been neat to hear a rocker cap
things off but the rest of the record has enough ammunition to satisfy that
itch. Overall, if you like your rock
sprinkled with pop and other influences, Rhett Repko’s debut EP is a nice
listen that covers a wide spectrum of genres and influences.
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