Customer Reviews

Can't Have Nothin Nice

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is one of three albums released by the Minnesotan band, the Gear Daddies. A four-piece band which mixes satire, humor, good rock, and country to form their unique sound. A partnership between guitarist, Randy Broughten, and songwriter/singer, Martin Zellar, that lasted for six years. This album shows off some of their best work and eclectic tastes, and you can hear the band's small club feel.

There is a lot of good music to be found on this album. The Gear Daddies show off their abilities by covering "My Maria" and "Little Red Corvette", both with a hint of country flair to them. Broughten provides a lot of the country sound by playing plenty of slide guitar (which makes for an interesting cover of Prince's song), but can really rock out as displayed on "Party Stomp". Add in Zellar's rough voice and rhythm guitar and the band really takes off. They shine with songs like "Bored and 19", "Strength", "Color of Her Eyes", and "2-18", which they intersperse with less serious music like "Iguana Man", "Party Stomp" and "Black Superman".

The Gear Daddies had fun with their music, and you can hear it in this album. Several of the tracks are just funny takes of songs they improvised on the spot, like "African Killer Bees", or their bit of standup humor ("Chip and Dale"). Although funny, these humor tracks become annoying after the tenth time you here them. Fortunately, there are only four of these tracks on the album. "Can't Have Anything Nice" is a nice thing to have.

The Gear Daddies two original studio albums, "Let's Go Scare Al" and "Billy's Live Bait" are masterpieces of country rock from a horribly overlooked band that deserved a much bigger audience. The posthumously released "Can't Have Nothin' Nice" assembles the band's leftovers onto a single disc. And while it does have some fascinating moments, it is not nearly as strong or consistent as the band's other albums.

One of the drawbacks is that the numeorus live versions of songs from the two studio albums are not substantially different, nor do they much improve on, the original versions. Of the previously unreleased material, the highlights include an ace cover of "My Maria," the positively goofy "African Killer Bees," "Dream Vacation," and another cover, "Black Superman." On the downside, the cover of fellow Minnesotan Prince's "Little Red Corvette" doesn't really work and experimental tracks "Spider Monkey" and "Minnesota Polka" are outright annoying.

Overall, an uneven leftovers collection from one of the best American rock bands few people have ever heard of.

A few years and some 160 CDs later and Can't Have Nothin' Nice is still my favorite album. Essentially a greatest hits album, it's the best collection of songs you'll find from this classic Minnesota band. The 22-song set embodies everything the Gear Daddies were about: superb songwriting, excellent musicianship, and just plain fun.

I was disappointed that a few songs weren't covered on the album (especially "Don't Forget Me"), but Martin Zellar and the boys made sure to include GD classics like "She's Happy" and "Wear Your Crown". Fans will not be disappointed.

When putting together the album, they decided to throw in some previously unreleased material. Incidentally, it's some of the best stuff on the album. One of my favorite songs of Zellar's is "Born and 19", a heart-wrenching tune about a young kid who goes out on his own, believing he's ready for anything life can throw at him, but soon finds out he was wrong. Zellar's lyrics stir something inside of me every time I hear that song. Another great one is "Dream Vacation," a simple, upbeat song about vacationing in Wisconsin Dells. The boys also throw in some amazing cover tunes, the standout being "Little Red Corvette". Some may disagree, but I think this version is better than Prince's.

What draws me back again and again is the unrestrained emotion and intensity expressed by Zellar. I've heard the Gear Daddies' other two studio albums and have always felt like Zellar was holding back. Some of the cuts on Can't Have Nothin' Nice are live, which really allows Zellar to let loose with his distinct, gravelly voice. He's never sounded better. "Color of her Eyes" and "Boys Will Be Boys" were both recorded acoustically, which gives them a sense of honesty and purity that can't be heard on the other versions. If Zellar's songs don't move you, nothing will.

The biggest complaint I've heard about this album is that it's filled with pointless comedy bits and other filler that quickly becomes annoying. I disagree. Bits like "African Killer Bees" and "Chip and Dale" were included to remind us that, above all, the Gear Daddies were about having fun and entertaining their fans. These cuts were recorded when they were just being themselves and enjoying what they do.

Even though they never achieved widespread popularity and are long gone, the Gear Daddies are still loved by thousands across the Midwest. Consider this: Last August, the original members gathered together for a reunion concert in the streets of St. Paul. 20,000 came to see them play. Gear is STILL good.

The Third album from the band. Not the greatest but still a good
album to listen to. Gear Daddie fans will still like it alot, I did

Excellent album....the lyrics deep, tunes original, plenty of fun...I cannot even fathom the notion of not having the Gear Daddies in my collection..Let's Go Scare Al/their first cut..now unavailable??? Is there no justice??!!! Gear is good!!!

I'll be honest, I've never heard this album. I never heard any of their albums. I probably wouldn't even recognize one of their voices if they were whispering in my ear. What I did hear was the despair in my friend's voice upon receiving this as a birthday present.
The year was 1993, we were both sophmores in high school. At the time we listened to groups such as House of Pain, Lordz of Brooklyn, Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill, Black Sheep.... and everyone knew it. Everyone. Or so we thought.
On one fateful evening in July of that year my friend, let's just call him Cornelius, gave me a call. I immediately knew something was wrong. It was his voice!! On this day, his birthday, he had no reason to sound miserable. What could possibly knock the life out of a spry, buxom (just kidding Cornelius!) teenaged boy!?
I decided to probe the matter to figure out what could be hampering his mood. It was less than minutes before he informed me of the terrible news; "Jerry (my alias)" he said, "my sister got me a cd by a group called Gear Daddies".
Immediately I knew this was not good. He continued, "There's a picture of a gear on the cover".
My heart dropped. Cornelius and I were pretty explicit with what our musical prefences were. Why I'm certain if you would have asked Gary the barber (name is an alias and the job title is fabricated) what he believed Cornelius's favorite group was he would have mentioned some group that was affiliated with the Soul Assassins. Certainly not the Gear Daddies. If Gary the barber would have known, then there is no reason that his sister didn't know.