Earth Tones: The Essential Rare Earth

Clocking in at 75 minutes, this single-CD release is probably as much Rare Earth as most casual fans want (even though it only contains nine songs), and as a mid-priced item its doubly attractive. Among the highlights included here are the nearly seven-minute long, promo-only version of "Warm Ride," and the nearly 11-minute version of "(I Know) Im Losing You," the 12½-minute version of "I Couldnt Believe What Happened Last Night," the killer 21½-minute "Get Ready," plus the more modestly proportioned "Hey Big Brother," "Ma," "I Just Want to Celebrate," and "Satisfaction Guaranteed." Motown also has a double-CD anthology which features an additional hour of music and then some, but thats more than twice as expensive and only intended for the most serious fans. The sound is also a selling point, this collection have originated from Polygrams stewardship of the Motown library, all first-generation tapes processed through state-of-the-art digital technology.