Rare Earth — Cassette

Intro

Rare Earth sounds like the exact moment a garage rock band discovers the power of a deep, syncopated groove. It is heavy, brass-inflected music that carries the DNA of Detroit's assembly lines, combining the precision of Motown's hit factory with the wild, improvisational freedom of late-sixties acid rock. The drums are loud, the congas are relentless, and the saxophone cuts through the fuzzed-out guitar like a siren.

What truly sets them apart is their ability to take a three-minute soul standard and stretch it into a twenty-minute psychedelic odyssey without losing the pocket. They were the bridge between the R&B charts and the rock festivals, proving that a white rock outfit could swing just as hard as the Funk Brothers if they had the right rhythm section. It is music that feels physically large, occupying every corner of the room with analog warmth and muscular intent.

Start with the full-length version of 'Get Ready' to understand their mastery of the long-form jam. From there, move to the Norman Whitfield-produced 'Ma' for a darker, more cinematic take on psychedelic soul. It is the perfect soundtrack for anyone who wants their classic rock to have a serious, danceable pulse.

Rare Earth is an American band from Detroit, Michigan. According to Louder, "Rare Earth's music straddles genres and defies categorisation, slipping seamlessly between the two seemingly disparate worlds of classic rock and R&B." The band was signed to Motown's subsidiary label Rare Earth. Although not the first white band signed to Motown, Rare Earth was the first successful act signed by Motown that consisted only of white members. The original band lasted from 1968 to December 2021, during which only saxophonist Gil Bridges remained throughout; when Bridges died in December 2021, keyboardist Mike Bruner (who joined in 1998) had Bridges' wife's blessing to form a new Rare Earth band with a new lineup, including previous member Wayne Baraks.

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Our Catalog13 Albums · 1968 · 2008