'How They Remember You' Review: Rascal Flatts' EP is an emotional farewell to fans before band's retirement
Country icons Rascal Flatts have just given fans more to cheer about, since band members Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus have now dropped a new seven-track EP called 'How They Remember You', much to the delight of their fanbase. You can listen to the band's beautiful and poignant new songs by clicking here.
It serves as a fitting reminder of their legacy, considering the band had previously revealed in January that they would be disbanding after spending 21 glorious years together as a multi-platinum-selling outfit. Their retirement announcement at the start of this year was accompanied by the band stating that they would embark on a farewell tour later that year. However, those plans were scrapped in May due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the band will probably take their final bows on stage once a live concert scenario becomes more viable.
The lead single and title track from the new EP, 'How They Remember You' was released last month on June 19, which showed the band reflecting on the legacy they were leaving behind. Rascall Flatts currently has the second-most Billboard 200 number-one albums of any group since 2000, including 14 No. 1 Billboard hits and sales that amount to over 27 million albums sold and 33.7 million digital downloads. In the song, 'How They Remember You', the group use their trademark lush vocal harmonies to poignantly ask, "Did you stand or did you fall? / Build a bridge or build a wall? / Hide your love or give it all? / What did you do?"
They directly reference their fans and the hard decisions they made in life with the lyrics — "Did you make 'em laugh or make 'em cry? / Did you quit or did you try? / Live your dreams or let 'em die? / What did you choose?" They also offered up a nugget of wisdom by saying it wasn't a question of "if" one was remembered, but rather, "how" one's legacy would live on — "When it all comes down / It ain't if, it's how they remember you."
Speaking about the title track, Jay DeMarcus had revealed, "It's a song that I believe will challenge listeners when they hear it, and they'll wonder about what their life's legacy is gonna look like when they're gone, and I think it's a wonderful thing, I really do. And a timely message for right now."
Here's the complete tracklist and EP breakdown from the new 'How They Remember You' EP below:
1. 'How They Remember You'
2. 'Feel It In The Morning'
3. 'Quick, Fast, In A Hurry'
4. 'Looking Back'
5. 'Warmer'
6. 'Sip Away'
7. 'Through The Years'
'Feel It In The Morning' is an upbeat ode to a love that is stronger than the feelings and buzz brought about by alcohol, while the song title artfully plays on the typical hangover one gets after a night of drinking. 'Quick, Fast, In A Hurry' is a peppy, energetic collaboration with the soaring voice of Rachel Wammack, talking about two on-and-off lovers who can't wait to reunite once again. The heartfelt 'Looking Back' is a sweet, sentimental session of reminiscing on the favorite and treasured memories that two sweethearts once shared — "Lookin' back is all that I look forward to."
Meanwhile, 'Warmer' is a heartwrenching and bittersweet plea to a lover, with the narrator doing his best to get closer and warm up to his sweetheart, but feels like he's being shut down with every attempt to make the relationship work out — "Are we good or are we almost over?" The swinging 'Sip Away' by contrast, is a joyous, groovy and breezy summer anthem, as the band talks about enjoying the fleeting sunshine by staying cool with drinks and having a good time under the blue skies.
The EP closer 'Through The Years' is a Kenny Rogers cover, which the band had released as a loving tribute to the late music icon in May. It's a warm and tender romantic synth ballad, as the narrator reflects on the ups and downs through many years with his loyal and steadfast lover — "Through the years, when everything went wrong / Together we were strong, I know that I belonged / Right here with you, through the years."
'How They Remember You' is a gorgeous EP from Rascal Flatts, covering a wide range of emotions, and fans will certainly be thrilled to add this final gift to their collection.
