IN REVIEW: Repartee - "All Lit Up"

I'm not the biggest fan of indie pop, but seeing Repartee live a few years ago helped me warm up to it a bit; even in a small room, the group played with an energy and passion that foreshadowed bigger things to come. Now, with a lot more touring experience and a little help from a national distributor, they're starting to reap some rewards from their hard work. Their official debut album (after two independent releases in 2011 and 2012 respectively) is very much an electronic affair, boasting a thick coat of '80s-inspired sheen. It's pretty far removed from most of the albums on my shelf, but it's a well composed, well performed record that's a bit short (8 songs/29 minutes) but is long on potential. The hooks on All Lit Up are big (especially on lead single Dukes), rhythms are tight and, though it's all very, very glossy, the songwriting is solid throughout. I'll fully admit that it's more pop than I usually go for, but I recognize the effort and can tell that these songs will sound great at a live show, which is what you'll need for the full Repartee experience.

April 29, 2016 • Sleepless
Highlights Die B4 U • Nice Girls • Dukes

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