Rhett Repko - About Last Night (2017)

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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.