Let's Go Scare Al

Gear Daddies | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 5, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000006N11
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,948 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest Country, October 31, 2000

By 

"dgapp" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Let's Go Scare Al (Audio CD)

While mainstream country was beginning to rebound on the pop charts with the discovery of cookie-cutter superstars such as Garth Brooks and Faith Hill, bands like the Gear Daddies were pioneering indie-country. The Gear Daddies music is twangy and chock-full of small-town working-class heartaches and struggles that has made popular country music somewhat of a joke. However, in the hands of Zellar and co., these same themes rise to a level of integrity that country music hasn't seen since the old days. You get the feeling that, like Johnny Cash before them, the Daddies are telling their tales of hardship and simple joy firsthand. With each song, they paint a picture of a complete character: be it the woman who makes due with what life has given her and finds comfort in simple pleasures in "She's Happy", or the well-intentioned father in "Statue of Jesus" that just can't seem to stop repeating his mistakes. This album is nothing short of incredible. But sadly, like seemingly every other groundbreaking act to emerge in the late 80's to early 90's, Zellar and the boys were for the most part ignored by major media. Don't let that fool you. This album has just recently been reprinted after years of unavailability, and is by far the Daddies' best. So...unless you are a huge fan of GD's silly but heartwarming Zamboni song (on "Billy's Live Bait" and in the top 10 in hockey arenas) go for "Let's Go Scare Al" while you still can get it and you will not be disappointed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lee, June 19, 2000

By 

Lee (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Let's Go Scare Al (Audio CD)

A remarkable first album and certainly a fan favorite in MN, but why not anywhere else? Maybe that is the beauty of the GD and Martin Zellar. It has never made it into pop stardom. However, lyrically the album is awesome. The characters are real, melodies soothing, and music challenging. IF you like this check out MZ and the Hardways. Overall, even more refined and musically better. I recently saw them live and they played for over 3 hours.... One of the last great storytellers.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So Good, it's Scary, April 29, 2002

By 

Brian D. Rubendall (Oakton, VA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Let's Go Scare Al (Audio CD)

Had "Let's Go Scare Al" been released a half a decade or so later, The Gear Daddies would have got swept up in all of the "Alt-Country" hype that sprung up in the mid-1990s. As it turned out, this woefully underrated Minnestoa combo was just a few years ahead of its time. Combing rock, folk and country styles in good blend and spinning bittrsweet tales of small town life (empahsis on the "bitter"), nobody could do it like them. The best songs on "Lets Go Scare Al" include the haunting "Statue of Jesus," the observational "Heavy Metal Boyz," the catchy "Blues Mary" and the lenghty "Strength" that closes the album. In between are more songs that are just as good, especially if you like your lyrics gloomy and desperate.

Overall, The Gear Daddys were Alt-Country before Alt-Country was cool and they are definately due a revival.