RARE EARTH
The Millenium Collection (Motown)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

---

As the Sunliners, the players who would become Rare Earth burned up the Detroit club scene with their extended jams on tunes by Smokey Robinson, Norman Whitfield and other Motown stalwarts. When Motown decided to extend it's reach into the rock field, and further into the white audience, the Sunliners became Rare Earth, Rare Earth became a Motown label imprint and the rest is jam band history.

While their material may have come straight from the soul groove of the Motor City, the way they approached it puts Rare Earth among the certified founding fathers of the jam band tradition. This collection provides all the evidence you'll need in the form of the original album cut of "Get Ready," the Smokey Robinson classic that, at a heavily edited three minutes or so, became their breakthrough hit. The album cut, though, clocks in at 21:29, and it's a classic jam. They stretch out on a couple more Motown hits from the pen of Norman Whitfield, too, with "(I Know) I'm Losing You" at 10:54 and "Ma" at 17:18, and they give 7:19 to Ray Charles' "What'd I Say." The remaining tracks are more conventionally timed for single release, but it's on the extended jams that the real heart of the band shines. Only a few could carry off a twenty minute track, though more than a few tried. Rare Earth were among the rare successes.

Track List:

Get Ready * I Just Want To Celebrate * (I Know) I'm Losing You * Born To Wander * Hey Big Brother * What'd I Say * Ma

© 2001 - Shaun Dale