Rare Earth - Fill Your Head: The Studio Albums 1969-1974 (2008)
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Genre: Rock, Funk Rock, Soul, Blue-Eyed Soul, Psychedelic Rock | Label: Motown, Hip-o Select

This 2008 compilation puts Rare Earth's early Motown catalog back into print in one fell swoop with a three-disc package featuring remastered sound, new liner notes with full credits, and exact reproductions of the album's original art. Unfortunately, that means you have to spring for the whole set to get access to any one of the five for a physical copy, but there is always selective downloading. While Rare Earth was never an A-list contender even during its salad days, the group, led by singing drummer Pete Rivera (nee Hoorelbeke) had many fine moments, not all of them collected on the various best-of sets already in print. As Motown's first foray into white rock, Rare Earth also became the name of the company's subsidiary label that they, along with a handful of mostly forgotten other acts (Toe Fat anyone?), recorded for. Notes writer Scott Schinder's five-page recap of the Earth's 1969-1974 run, which also includes an interview with Rivera, provides excellent background information along with anecdotes and reminiscences from its founding member and featured voice. Nine difficult-to-find bonus tracks (edited singles, non-album A- and B-sides) are somewhat incongruously tacked onto the end of disc one (which also includes the Get Ready debut) instead of being sequenced next to the album they are associated with. Otherwise, this set, with its rounded tombstone packaging that mimics the unique shape of many of the first Rare Earth label releases, is a straightforward presentation of the five records, along with liner notes and even inner record sleeve reproductions. These records established Rare Earth as rugged, working semi-stars. They persevered through hard touring, a few top-notch songs such as One World's "I Just Want to Celebrate" (written for them by Nick Zesses and Dino Fekaris), and imaginatively rearranged rock and R&B covers, to attain at least a footnote in pop music history. At its best, generally on the Norman Whitfield productions of his own compositions such as Ecology's "(I Know) I'm Losing You" and the Ma album, Rare Earth personified a style of blue-eyed, jammy psychedelic soul that, while dated, still holds up as unique enough to have resulted in more hits than the group actually achieved. Since its most recognizable music is well represented on Motown's impressive two-disc Anthology: The Best of Rare Earth and other discs, this is for collectors who need everything from Rare Earth's most commercially and artistically successful years. As such it is a classy presentation of a band whose finest moments remain impressive, even occasionally innovative, but just short of influential.

Tracklist:
CD 1 (Get Ready + bonus):

Get Ready:
1. Magic Key (Bridges/Folick)
2. Tobacco Road (Loudermilk)
3. Feelin' Alright (Mason)
4. In Bed (Baird/Henderson/Hen)
5. Train to Nowhere (Simmonds/Youlden)
6. Get Ready (Robinson)
Bonus:
7. Generation (Light Up the Sky) (Zesses/Fekaris/Verd)
8. Get Ready [Single Version] (Robinson)
9. (I Know) I'm Losing You [Single Version] (Grant/Holland/Whitf)
10. When Joanie Smiles (Baird)
11. Here Comes the Night (Baird)
12. Hey Big Brother (Fkaris/Zesses)
13. Love Shines Down (Rivera/Monette)
14. Chained (Wilson)
15. Fresh from the Can (Bridges/Hoorlbeke/P)

CD 2 (Ecology + One World):

Ecology:
1. Born to Wander (Baird)
2. Long Time Leavin' (Baird)
3. (I Know) I'm Losing You (Grant/Holland/Whitf)
4. Satisfaction Guaranteed (Baird)
5. Nice Place to Visit (Persh)
6. No. 1 Man (Baird)
7. Eleanor Rigby (Lennon/McCartney)
One World:
8. What'd I Say (Charles)
9. If I Die (Rivera)
10. The Seed (Rivera)
11. I Just Want to Celebrate (Zesses/Fekaris)
12. Someone to Love (Bridges)
13. Any Man Can Be a Fool (Persh)
14. The Road (Baird)
15. Under God's Light (Monette/Olson/Guzma)

CD 3 (Willie Remembers + Ma):

Willie Remembers:
1. Good Time Sally (Baird)
2. Every Now and Then We Get to Go on Down to Miami (Zesses/Fekaris)
3. Think of the Children (Monette/Olson/River)
4. Gotta Get Myself Back Home (Monette/Olson/River)
5. Come with Your Lady (Monette/Olson/River)
6. Would You Like to Come Along (Monette/Olson/River)
7. We're Gonna Have a Good Time (Monette/Olson/River)
8. I Couldn't Believe What Happened Last Night (Monette/Olson/River)
Ma:
9. Ma (Whitfield)
10. Big John Is My Name (Whitfield)
11. Smiling Faces Sometimes (Strong/Whitfield)
12. Hum Along and Dance (Strong/Whitfield)
13. Come with Me (Whitfield)

Audio Remasterer: Seth Foster

Personnel:
Mark Olson - vocals, keyboards
Eddie Guzman - congas, percussion
Rod Richards - vocals, guitar
Ray Monette - vocals, guitar, guitars
Peter Hoorelbeke - vocals, drums, percussion
Gil Bridges - vocals, flute, woodwinds, saxophone, tambourine
John Persh - vocals, trombone, bass instrument
Kenny James - organ
Pete Rivera
Ed Guzman - conga drum, percussion
Mike Urso - vocals, bass guitar