Rhett Repko - About Last Night (2017)

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Written by Gilbert Mullis, posted by blog admin

Rhett Repko’s 6-song debut EP is certainly for guitar heads.  No, it might not be a virtuoso album with an overabundance of scales, misused notes and self-serving solos that never end, but in a pop world Repko’s work is a breath of fresh air.  These tunes float light and acoustically one minute and then dive into some riff-y aerobics and sizzling fret-board work the next; it’s just plain ol’ fashioned good music. Primarily, this is an acoustic album that has enough of those touches to place it in the rock arena.  Harder than Daughtry, Darius Rucker and many others who have been working the genre for 5 years plus. 

“Were You Ever Really Mine?” may pose a question but its music is the answer.  An upbeat, mid-tempo acoustic riff and groove-intensive rhythms yield plenty of room for Rhett Repko to work his magical voice.  He’s got an admirable range that daringly uses all of its registers, so that there’s a voice to complement each individual part.  As the material moves along, some riffs and lead breaks add a raw edge to Repko’s acoustic shine.  He follows up with another winner in “She Loves Me,” where the guitars revert to some down-home cookin’; southern-fried, gravy smothered country melodies morph into head-nodding rock whenever the time is right.  The fast-paced drumming on the snares and looping bass lines keep the material from slipping into third gear and maintaining an aggressive tempo at all times. 

“About Last Night” is placed intelligently in the EP’s track listing.  After two electric heavy numbers, Repko goes into a full on ballad where acoustic guitars, synths, strings, emotive vocals and gentle rhythmic nuance combine into an ingratiating tune that works out fine as a middle album number or could close off a record equally well.  That rock n’ roll fever sets in again on the blurry, cool-handed 60s grooves of “Inside of Me” before Rhett changes course back to country groove and headier riffing with “On the Run.”  Another ballad appears and ends the album, “Bye Bye Baby,” is a showcase for Repko and his lone acoustic guitar, travelling in the shoes of Dylan, Adams and other before him. 

If you like your rock catchy and unafraid of tackling tender moments, Rhett Repko’s Self-Titled EP will be right up your alley.  The songwriting is airtight, the playing fluid and the production thick enough to make both sides of Repko’s style stand-out.