Based in Middle Tennessee by way of Virginia, Luke Caccetta is a rising country artist and songwriter whose debut five-track EP, Cheers, was put out by Match Records, MTSU’s student record label.
Cheers is a quick listen at only 19 minutes but manages to touch on a variety of Southern sensibilities for any type of country listener, whether you prefer your twang with a rock edge, romantic lyricism or something in between. The EP kicks off with its fastest (and arguably best) moment with the track “Smokin’.” Caccetta rips into a car-focused anthem for fast-driving outlaws that could soundtrack a montage of Dukes of Hazzard and Smokey and the Bandit clips. In fact he actually references the 1979 Burt Reynolds film in the opening verse: I got my ’81 Trans Am, hot damn / East bound and down like Smokey and the Bandit.
“Smokin’” is as heavy as Caccetta gets on Cheers, as the following two tracks take a lighter approach. The title track is a bit cheesy thanks to its focus on drinking to fond memories, but is nonetheless a catchy ode to raising ’em up and raising ’em high. The other ballad, “When Do You Want Me,” is a bit better, as it focuses on the go-to pop-country topic of love. While country ballads often get flak for being “she done me wrong” tales of heartbreak, Caccetta does the approach justice with strong melody and production.
The next track, “Jeans and Boots,” brings the tempo back up a bit, while bringing some piano into the mix. It focuses on an infatuation with a real Daisy Duke who looks good in, as the title suggests, jeans and cowboy boots, much like Cousin Daisy. While that may seem cringeworthy to some, it’s a lot of fun, just as this kind of country is supposed to be. Following this slightly low-brow moment comes Cheers’ most lyrically poignant track, “Into the Sunset.” The uptempo ballad finds Caccetta jumping into the shoes of a cowboy wanting to drop everything and ride off into the desert with someone special. It’s a strong balance of heartfelt balladry with upbeat instrumentation that ends Cheers on a strong note.
Luke Caccetta’s Cheers is available on Amazon, CD Baby, iTunes and Spotify.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXuTu2SkHl0
