LITTLE CAESAR – Brutally Honest Live From Holland (2016)
Veteran US hard rockers LITTLE CAESAR are releasing today their first ever double live album titled “Brutally Honest: Live From Holland“, recorded at Muziekcentrum De Bosuil, Weert, Netherlands on June 20 last year.
Signed to major label Geffen Records, managed by Jimmy Iovine and produced by no-other than Bob Rock, Little Caesar exploded into the US hard rock scene with a bang, their terrific self-titled debut.
Great reviews and lots of gigs followed and the band released a second effort, but, as happened many times, Little Caesar found themselves buried in an avalanche of record company politics that literally pulled the rug out from under them. Geffen was sold, the label Manager quit, the suits took over and in a nutshell, a great record was quite honestly hung out to dry.
I can only imagine the sour taste left behind from the big deal gone wrong, but time heals all wounds and the brotherhood that was Little Caesar thankfully remained intact.
So after some years apart the guys began to realize how much they missed making music together and they started booking some local shows. Two studio albums followed, 2009’s Redemption and 2012’s American Dream both highlighting their signature bluesy influenced hard rock.
These records seem to reflect a band that are comfortable in their own skin. A lot less hair and possibly a few extra tattoos, they are in the game for the love of rock and roll.
So now 2016, Little Caesar are presenting “Brutally Honest: Live From Holland”, a double live album recorded last June during their European tour. Titled ‘Brutally Honest’ because the album is truly that, a live concert captured totally live.
No overdubs, no touch ups, no fixes, this is Little Caesar as they sounded on a June night on a sweaty stage last year. Not always the best method to capture a live album (Van Halen‘s Live At The Tokyo Dome comes to mind) but it’s totally something I would expect from frontman Ron Young and Little Caesar.
Honest rock and roll, warts and all is exactly what these guys represent.
“Brutally Honest: Live From Holland” is a total career spanning double live album that delivers the goods, all 21 tracks of it! Hard to pick highlights as I prefer to listen to live albums in their entirety but “Hard Times”, “American Dream” and a really soulful version of “I Wish It Would Rain” are three that really deserve some attention.
If you do not like much live albums, you should give “Brutally Honest: Live From Holland” a try.
The recording quality is impressive, sounding incredibly full and perfectly balanced, giving you the feeling that you are actually in the club with them. I can almost smell the scent of whiskey and stale beer, big kudos to the sound crew and production teams.
A live album that captures the true essence of rock and roll. Real musicians, playing real songs on real instruments. A stark and wonderful contrast to today’s computerized, auto-tuned dribble that we are force fed on the airwaves.
Long live real rock & roll and long live Little Caesar!
01 – Supersonic
02 – Rock n’ Roll State of Mind
03 – Hard Times
04 – Hard Rock Hell
05 – Tastes Good to Me
06 – Down and Dirty
07 – I Wish It Would Rain
08 – American Dream
09 – Real Rock Drive
10 – Redemption
11 – Prisoner of Love
12 – Wrong Side of the Tracks
13 – Crushed Velvet
14 – Rum and Coke
15 – Chain of Fools
16 – Every Picture Tells a Story-Happy
17 – Dirty Water (Live)
18 – Sick and Tired
19 – Drive It Home
20 – In Your Arms
21 – Down to the Wire
Ron Young – Vocals
Tom Morris – Drums
Fidel Paniagua – Bass
Joey Brasler – Guitar
Loren Molinare – Guitar
thanks to Wally Norton
BUY IT !
www.amazon.de/Brutally-Honest-Live-Holland-Little-Caesar/dp/B01E9N5ZRQ
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