LITTLE CAESAR – American Dream (Deluxe Edition remastered +4) (2022)

American classic Hard Rockers LITTLE CAESAR launched their own record label and are doing a reissue campaign of their catalog. The band is excited to reissue remastered deluxe versions of some of their best albums complete with new artwork and bonus tracks, to be distributed by Deko Entertainment.
Originally released a decade ago, this ”American Dream (Deluxe Edition remastered +4)” marks the 10th anniversary of this rocking album, now remastered and re-packaged as a limited “Deluxe Edition” w/ four tracks from the CD performed live as bonus tracks, including the stand out ‘Dirty Water’.
Little Caesar always represented ‘substance over style’, which probably was the reason of why they didn’t became superstars (and null label support) in the hair-spray fog of the late ’80s. An endless stream of middle-aged musicians have returned in the last few years with dreams of recapturing the magic that they once (or never did) possessed, but few have managed to do it as well as Little Caesar.

They were never the heaviest band in town, and they still aren’t. What they are, and always have been, is a bluesy hard rock band that writes quality songs.
The album kicks off with “Holly Roller”, indeed a rolling rocker full of swagger, valvular amp guitars and feel-good vibe. From there we get taken through a course of Classic (hard) Rock songs, short, catchy and effective, as the title track “American Dream”, which is driven by a simple but contagious American-trademark riff.

“Hard Rock Hell” is great hard rocker featuring very a classy voice by Ron Young, a fun chorus and a direct-to-amp hot six-string solo. You just can’t love this tune. It reminds me the super-group Manic Eden (featuring James Christian, Adrian Vandenberg, Rudy Sarzo and Tommy Aldridge) who, incidentally, Ron Young went on to sing for.
“Prisoner Of Love” offers a more bluesy rock in a midtempo form. The main melody is strong and intense, built over a tight instrumentation. “In My Mirror” keeps things going with a steady and groovy guitar riff throughout before Ron Young shows how a ballad should be properly handled with “Only A Memory Away”, a song that has, again, a Manic Eden feel to it. Fantastic tune.

“Own Worst Enemy” is another good twinkling classic rocker, followed by the sweaty “Drama Queen”, before ending the disc with the catchy, southern tingled “Dirty Water”.

Little Caesar have always managed to set themselves apart from the crowd, and continue to do it today. Since the 2000’s album the band decided to release their music on their own, apart from the pressures and influence of record companies.
It is no longer about fame and fortune for the members of Little Caesar, it is simply about releasing quality music to the fans of the classy, eternal Classic Rock.
In times when most mainstream music is polluted with crappy sounds, we should be thanking Little Caesar for the release of rock album like this, and every other musician that once had teased-hair and tight pants should use “American Dream” as the blueprint for how a band should stage their comeback to this current millennium.
Highly Recommended

01 – Holy Roller
02 – American Dream
03 – Hard Rock Hell
04 – Prisoner of Love
05 – In My Mirror
06 – Only A Memory Away
07 – The Girl’s Rockin’
08 – Is Yor Crazy, Getting’ Lazy?
09 – Own Worst Enemy
10 – Drama Queen
11 – Dirty Water
BONUS TRACKS:
12 – Dirty Water (Live)
13 – American Dream (Live)
14 – Hard Rock Hell (Live)
15 – Prisoner of Love (Live)

Ron Young: Vocals
Loren Molinare: Guitar
Joey Brasler: Guitar
Fidel Paniagua, Bass, Vocals
Tom Morris: Drums

BUY
www.amazon.com/American-Dream-Deluxe-Little-Caesar/dp/B09NRWH8TS