Customer Reviews

Earth Tones: Essential

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

 

 

Great collection of a much overlooked group. It leaves out one of Rare Earth's great songs however. If "Born to Wander" had been included, it would have been a solid no questions asked 5-star recording.

About the long version of Get Ready. It's on the Rare Earth In Concert Album. Motown records, the lable said "DJ Only" 2 LP set. The one packaged to look like a back pack. Wow I wish the would put that one out on CD. Email me if you know how to get that one on CD. Vtpilot@msn.com

This group was rather an unusual addition to the Motown back in 1969. They were given their own label and label design which at the time was quite hip.

The group featured probably the quintessential versions of "I'm Losing You" and "Get Ready". As empassioned as the original but more expansive than the originals. Get Ready is a long, rocking vehicle for improvisation and soloing while remaining somewhat true to the original spirit of the piece.

I'm Losing You becoming a plaintive but spacey version of the song with classic rock guitar lines and percussion breaks.

Each version redefined and re-shaped to a harder edge equal importance given to the instrumental as well as the vocal.

Pete Hoorelbeke ("Pete Rivera") is a powerful vocalist and an underrated, very inventive drummer. If you listen to "Get Ready" you can hear how he mixes it up and provides very inventive and propulsive drive to the piece. He really makes the most of his ability.

The instrumental solos are very good. This was a band that is so seldom given and deserving more props. The forgotten band of the Motown stable. Probably due to it not being typical of it's sound. The closest to it is the very well done, R&B based "Satisfaction Guaranteed".

Actually it doesn't matter if they weren't pure Motown. This was an exceptional addition to their stable of artists. When Rare Earth first appeared Motown was expanding it's sound and embracing much more varied elements.

Rare Earth combined different elements into something rock-based on the edge of R&B along with some jazz, funk and some understated latin influences.

The band represented here is the best of the various incarnations. Why only four stars? There were a few cuts that were left out that should've been included and one ("Warm Ride") which should've been left out. "Get Ready", "I'm Losing You" and the very soulful and driving "Satisfaction Guaranteed" are true high points.

I recommend this one highly.

A band among bands.... Great music, Great Players...A Rock & Roll hall of fame band!

Rare Earth used to and still is one of my favorite bands. The long version of GET READY is a very hard song to get these days. Unfortunatly the record company has dicontinued this version. But I am here to help. Go to Napster.com, download the program and then go into search, type in Rare Earth and click on the 23 min version of GET READY and it's ready to download. Might take a while, but I think it's worth it.

I live in Australia. There is a CD store in Brisbane who specialise in rare and deleted music and they sell a Rare Earth CD with a version of Get Ready that lasts for a bit over 21 minutes. You can buy the CD from their site ...- it costs about $..., but if you are in America or any country that isn't third world, it'll cost you pretty much nothing. They'll have to pay you for buying it probably - we have a fantastic economy here.

Well, it has been ages that I'm looking for this long version of "get ready", never able to find it, the answer was :"the label stopped it"!!??, I'm not sure that it's the right 1 on this record, however, it's still one of the best ever rock sound of the 60's......:))

Classic rare earth with that rich rock soul sound but like other rare earth fans trying to find the 23 minute verson of get ready on cd a must for any hard core 70s music fan

The 1970's was a time of Lyndon Baines Johnson and Richard Milhaus Nixon. The 1970's was a time of Archie Bunker and "All In The Family". The 1970's marked significant advances in civil rights and women's rights. The 1970's marked the realization of John Fitzgerald Kennedy's dream -- astronauts from the United States walked on the moon. The 1970's marked a strong, confident, industrialized United States. The 1970's marked the emergence of hard rock music. And the 1970's marked *widespread* citizen protests over the unpopular Vietnam War.

The 1970's was a time of prosperity and confusion. What is the legacy of the 1970's? The question might be rhetorical, but "Earth Tones: The Essential Rare Earth" by Rare Earth should be included in that legacy. "Earth Tones: ..." is a collection of Rare Earth's best recordings, and in my opinion is among the strongest recordings that Motown ever produced. All of the selections are good, but 'Warm Ride' (the extended 12" promotional single version), 'Hey Big Brother', and 'Get Ready' (a 21:33 minute live recording -- PLAY IT LOUD) deserve particular mention.

Popular music in the Twenty-First Century can be mechanical, chaotic and unclear. "Earth Tones: ..." is a collection of Motown's best with strong melody and rhythm, and with clear confident lyrics. "Earth Tones: ..." typifies the 1970's United States that I would like to remember.