Review by Francesca Torquati

For most folks across the nation the all-brother band Remedy Drive hit the Christian music scene in 2008 with their debut Word Records release Daylight is Coming, bringing about hits like “All Along” and “Hope” and venturing forth for two years of coast-to-coast (to coast) touring. For folks from my region, Remedy Drive began nearly twelve years ago as an exceptionally talented jam band of brothers barely out of high school.

Remedy Drive first made a real imprint on their local music scene under the name Remedy, releasing two studio albums and a live album showcasing their already legendary live performance. Headlining performances included some entirely instrumental songs—a rare find in rock groups today. The most famous of these instrumentals, a song called “Starr Street” is still performed during some headlining shows today, though it takes a longtime fan to pick it out. After the release of their live album, the band of brothers released a third full-length studio album at the cusp of their name change to the elongated Remedy Drive. By the time their fourth studio album Rip Open the Skies was released independently in 2006 the Zach brothers were touring full time and had gained a respectable regional following.

Needless to say, the men in Remedy Drive were no strangers to the music scene when they signed to Word Records for the release of Daylight is Coming. Therefore, the brothers certainly knew the dangers of this mysterious thing called the “re-release,” and openly contemplated participating in such an endeavor. A re-release can be a great thing for an album, it can increase market saturation and fan base; or a re-release can be plagued with low sales and hard feelings on the part of fans that don’t want to repurchase the entire album just for a few new songs. This is why The Daylight EP is a beautiful thing. Remedy Drive released Daylight is Coming: Expanded Edition on March 30, adding alternative album artwork and three new songs to the already strong LP. Alongside this however, the band released a five-song EP digitally for those who had already purchased their album. The five-song EP, known as The Daylight EP, includes the three new songs, a remix of the single “Daylight,” and an acoustic track.

The EP begins with the ballad “Guide You Home,” the song that feels the most like a “Remedy” throwback of the three. The track opens with some spacey sounds, but is by no means manufactured or over produced. “Guide You Home” retains an a cappella styling in the vocals and it’s beautiful imagery-packed lyrics are typical of David Zach’s writing. Throughout this track it is clear that the brothers have earned their instruments—they know them, and they play them well.

Next is “Speak to Me,” the first song bassist Philip Zach has claimed authorship of, with co-writer Jason Walker. “Speak to Me” is an interesting song because though it feels repetitive on the track, it is a lyric and melody that will be epic when performed live. The simple plea “speak to me,” is something a lot of Christians can relate to, an absolute begging to hear from God. The inclusion of strings and bells in this song take it to another level of musicianship, and the honest meaning is not going to be lost on anyone who is going through a period of daily struggle.

The last of the new tracks is “Rescue,” a song that makes up for heavy synth in the opening with organic piano and drums throughout. For the first time in many Remedy Drive tracks there is almost an instrumental break where vocals become a background facet and the artistry of the brothers is showcased for a moment. “Rescue” was written alongside Dan Haseltine and Steven Mason of Jars of Clay, and utilizes David Zach’s ability to speak in narrative to his audience with lines such as, “Look down, to the city lights below us/Where everyone’s afraid to be free/Hold on, our weakness won’t divide us/If we’re following the steps we don’t see.”

Closing out the EP are a dance version of “Daylight” mixed by Family Force 5 frontman Soul Glow Activatur (Solomon Olds), and an acoustic version of the opening track “Guide You Home.” The Daylight remix, while originally sounding like a ridiculous idea, is a really fun track. Who would have expected a Remedy Drive song could be showcased alongside club beats? Not me, but I was pleasantly surprised. The acoustic version of “Guide You Home” was another nice surprise to close the EP, and is my favorite of the five tracks. Unlike the original version, there are very little background vocals, making the song almost solely frontman and vocalist David Zach accompanied by piano and tambourine.

Altogether, what makes a re-release or an EP worth the buy is its ability to showcase the growth of a group alongside its prior work. There is nothing so much fun as watching a band build itself from a garage-rock gig to a labeled pop-rock group to this, an EP of songs true to the style of the brothers and their own vision of their music. In these songs you can feel the passion the Zach brothers have for making good music that is reflective of their beliefs, and get a real taste of why Remedy Drive has become such a popular group nation-wide. The Daylight EP is a work of some truly talented musicians, and I cannot wait for what Remedy Drive comes up with next.

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