Ben Cesare Band's Debut EP "Cesare's Palace" is the Country Rock Record You've

Et Tu, Brute? Y'ALL. Ben Cesare Band has just released their debut EP Cesare's Palace, and it's filled to the brim with perfect country rock music! Since the release of their debut single, "Damn Yankee", I've been itching for more music from this CRANKIN group. And lemme tell ya, this EP sure does not disappoint. Seven CRANKIN songs, each one just as ear buggy as the one before. Here's a run-down on some of our favorite tracks!

With a title like Cesare's Palace, you might expect an album that's flashy or gaudy. However, this record is quite the opposite. At it's core, this record is a collection of truer than true, working man's country songs. It's about the importance and appreciation of the simple things in life. This theme is reflected beautifully in the EP's second track, "Poor People". This laid-back, feel-good tune celebrates the plight of the working class American. With his silky smooth baritone voice, Ben stresses the importance of focusing on the right now rather than worrying about the future. In the first verse, he sings, "My plans go bout as far as puttin' gas in my car to get me to this bar at the end of the day". As far as Ben sees it (Cesares it, lol), as long as he can make it to the place where he can hang out with his pals, he's got it freaking made. Illustrating the differences in how people go about things, Ben sings in the chorus, "Rich people make plans for the rest of their lives, poor people plan for a Saturday night". I tell ya, I definitely don't have a lot of life plans, but I've got Saturday night DOWN! So I guess I must be doing something right...

Another stand-out is the sultry love song, "She's All Woman". The song is about a wild child of a woman who has captured Ben's heart. She may be wild and all over the place, but hell, "she's all his". The song is filled with back and forth juxtapositions, and the chorus contains maybe the smartest line that any man has ever written about a woman. And I mean ever. In the chorus, he belts, "Sometimes she's wrong, but a smart man knows she's always right". Damn. DAMN. PREACH IT BEN. The song has a sexy, groovy feel to it that makes you wanna get down on the dance floor with your wild and crazy lover! "She's a shot of fireball whiskey, she's a glass of sweet red wine, she's all woman and she's all mine".

The EP closes out with the perfect Carpe Diem song (Get the Latin reference to go along with the Cesare's Palace???), "The Good Times'll Kill Ya". In this undeniable grand finale, Ben preaches about living life to the fullest and making every day count. One of my favorite lines of the whole EP is the beginning of the second verse where Ben remembers "My girlfriend she told me, "well ya better settle down/or you'll wind up lonely"and that's why she's my ex-girlfriend now". In a powerful chorus that you'll be blasting with the windows down, Ben bellows "Woah oh, the good times'll kill ya, but I ain't scared of dyin' I'm just scared of not living'... The good times'll kill ya, but what a way to go"! Ain''t that the damn truth. What a way to go indeed. This track pretty much sums up everything you need to know about Ben Cesare. He's got wit, he's got a passion for life, and he's just an all-around fun guy.

Make sure to check this EP out everywhere you can find music!