Written
by Frank McClure, posted by blog admin
The
title song begins Rhett Repko’s Thnx For The Ride on a rip-roaring note. Repko
and the three piece band accompanying him tear through this focused song,
stopping on a dime, negotiating transitions into tricky time signatures with
seamless skill, and Repko sounds energized throughout to be working with
skilled musicians. Even on a recording, there’s a palpable chemistry these four
musicians share and one can only assume they are even more explosive in a live
setting. “Please Don’t Laugh” carries on with some of the skillful twists and
turns we hear in the title song and the guitar sound is a bit more “normalized”
compared to lead guitarist Stefan Heuer’s effects laden approach on the opener.
Repko’s subject matter for the entirety of the EP is, invariably, romantic
relationships, but he finds a way to tackle such time tested subjects in a way
that feels uniquely individual. It’s no small thing to pull off this late in
popular music’s history.
There’s
a sarcastic, bitter edge to the track “It Ain’t Coming From You”, but never
bitter enough to make this an unpleasant listening experience. It is
invigorating, however, to hear Repko sink his teeth into these lyrics and
deliver them with a well deserved emotive spike stabbing straight for listener’s
hearts. Backing and harmony vocals for the EP are Stefan Heuer’s responsibility
and his voice blends well with Repko’s. The emphasis Thnx For The Ride places
on vocal presentation is one of the release’s strongest qualities. “Maybe I’m
Weak” brings a stronger personal touch than ever before to Thnx For The Ride’s
individual take on modern pop rock and Repko’s dramatic vocal is the finishing
touch. His singing transforms “Maybe I’m Weak” from a fine track to among the
EP’s best.
There’s
some sly shifts in tempo thrown in for good measure on the memorable “And I
Told Her So”, but drummer Tom Bryant is, arguably, more responsible for the
success of this song than any others before or after. The whipcrack pop from
his percussion drives “And I Told Her So” along with a mix of modern and
classic rock energy. Stefan Heuer deserves a nod, however, for his commanding
lead guitar work near the song’s end. The rhythm section churns out another
impressive performance with the EP’s second to last number “Learn Your Name”
and the groove established from the first is familiar, but rolls over listeners
in a distinctive way. Young bands must bring something of themselves to
traditional rock songwriting like this if they want to stand out and a lot of
that depends on the musician’s penchant for melody. The song’s central riff
illustrates that quite nicely.
Rhett
Repko’s Thnx For The Ride is an EP but, make no mistake, it’s a notable
addition to his growing catalog. These are song crackling in studio form, so we
can only assume they will really catch fire on a stage. Repko, undoubtedly,
wrote these songs with his live show very much in mind. They are more than
entertaining concert fare, however; Repko has, likewise, advanced by leaps and
bounds as a singer/songwriter of note and Thnx For The Ride’s songs clearly
show his progress.
