LITTLE CAESAR – Eight (Album Review)

I think we all have those things in life that offer comfort and contentment. Call it your “happy place”. It could be a special blanket, an old photograph or the smell of that old baseball mitt but for me personally, these “things” often come in the form of music. Whether it be discovering new bands and new music or dusting off some of my classic CDs there is not a faster way to my “happy place”. Sometimes I get a little of both, like today when I got to hear the brand new record from one of my classic favorites, Little Caesar. Que the HAPPY!

Entitled Eight, the new Little Caesar album will drop March 16th and marks their first release for Golden Robot Records. For me, Little Caesar are one of those bands that can do little wrong. They fall into this ultra rare and very special place, they deliver soulful straight ahead hard driving melodic rock and roll and they sound like they are having a blast doing it. So just like cracking open that ice cold bottle of Coca-Cola, I know exactly what to expect from a new Little Caesar record and my tastebuds are anxious for a taste. It’s review time!

Ok, I am going to make this real easy for you. Grab your favorite frosty refreshment, take a comfortable seat in front of your sound system (ok headphones, if the family are still sleeping), crank the volume and don’t move a muscle until the third song has concluded. If you aren’t having a good time by then, you are either dead or you need to get the fuck off my page because I just don’t need that kind of negativity in my life.

LITTLE CAESAR – Eight (Album Review)

The 1-2-3 punch of “21 Again”, “Mama Tried” and my personal favorite “Vegas” is as strong an album opener as The Stones‘ Exile On Main Street. Oh and before you scream “that’s blasphemy”, let it be known I fucking love Exile on Main St! It’s far and away my favorite Rolling Stones record, so raw, so dirty and 100% everything that’s good about rock and roll.

So if you are still with me, the rest of the record delivers heaping helpings of more honest rock n roll. “Crushed Velvet” sounds like the lovechild of Free and Humble Pie. “Good Times” is, well, exactly that! Some good time rock and fucking roll! “Straight Shooter” is as close you will get to anything modern sounding, a balls-out rocker with a riff as pumping as anything Danko Jones is recording. The rest of the album plays out without surprise, a pure rock record with no fluff, no gimmicks, and no excuses.

I purposely skipped track 6, “Time Enough For That” which I just learned is the first single from the record. An absolutely gorgeous mid-tempo rocker that lyrically kills it. Encouraging us to hold on to the good things in our lives and live more in the moment. Ron Young is far and away one of the most soulful rock vocalists alive. Good lord, this cat had the balls to cover Aretha Franklin back in 1990 and “Chain of Fools” never lost an ounce of its soul. The tone and conviction of his vocals are exceptional on “Time Enough For That”. In a word, fucking goosebumps (ok that’s two words!).

LITTLE CAESAR – Eight (Final Thoughts)

For those that are looking for stripped down melodic rock n roll, then get up off your ass and go buy this record! Hell, buy two so you can leave one in the car. Neither I nor the Little Caesar band can be responsible for resulting speeding fines whilst driving under Caesar‘s influence. I know its early February, but Eight is a solid contender for 2018’s top spot.

BUY: Amazon.ca / Amazon.com