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Written
by Michael Saulman, posted by blog admin
Hailing
from Annapolis, Maryland, guitar slinger Rhett Repko and his posse of groove
outlaws have come to rescue pop radio.
One can describe the current state of pop music like an old western
movie plot; pop music having been taken over by DJs, programmers and cheesy
keyboards is the damsel in distress having been kidnapped by outsider rustlers,
needing a sheriff Repko has brought real live instruments and his best men to
take the genre back to its roots. Do you
remember when pop had guitars, bass and drums?
I do, but that memory is becoming a faint flicker in the dark.
This
6-cut EP About Last Night is a lost article.
Bathed in acoustic brilliance, unafraid to kick up dust with
hard-hitting guitar runs and punchy drums, smooth and hypnotic in the vocal
department…there is a polish and professionalism to the way Repko and his gang
rock. They understand melody/harmony as
clearly indicated by intro track, “Were You Ever Really Mine?” Rhett’s captivating higher-timbre lead vocals
are positively entrancing as they melt into subtle, catchy harmonies. His soothing acoustic guitars are matched by
lead guitarist Stefan Heuer’s explosive electric licks while the forward
pushing drums of Tom Bryant and the limber bass lines of Dan Gallagher
constantly keep the material moving.
This is pop when blessed with purpose and a destination.
Repko
also tackles the kind of folky, authentic, dirt road country that isn’t on the
radio anymore with “She Loves Me.”
Dusty, western-themed acoustics smolder atop a bed of ashen, riff-y lead
with plenty of licks undercutting the rhythm work. Whereas modern country has been infiltrated
by rap, “She Loves Me” applies rock to a country format for the return of
another lost, commercial radio art.
“About Last Night” draws the blinds for an after dusk, acoustic-centered
piece where symphonic swishes of violin/viola provide an elegant atmosphere for
the memorable vocal patterns (Repko’s voice shows great rise/fall dynamics
throughout). “Inside of Me” conjures up
some sea farin’, Beach Boys’ inspired surf/garage rock that makes equally
effective use of boiling electric guitars and pop music’s simplicity (though
the throwback production is slightly out of place when stacked up to the EP’s
other numbers). It flows into “On the
Run” which brings back the savory, acoustic/electric divvy of Repko’s signature
pop/rock grooves, leaving finale “Bye Bye Baby” to ride off into the sunset on
the hooves of a folky, acoustic guitar gallop.
Rhett
Repko is poised to make weaves in the current shaky pop scene thanks to his
unwillingness to commit to modern standards.
It’s obvious that he is a fan of many great musicians from the 60s/70s,
which provides a much more vital era to draw from as opposed to today’s
mainstream drivel. This is a solid
release that sets the stage for great things to come from this inspiring new
artist.
Thank you Michael! Love the review and everything you have to say about us. It's amazing to hear you dial in and latch on to exactly what we are going for with our music.
ReplyDeleteMuch appreciation,
~Rhett Repko