Get Ready

by

Rare Earth

Edit

I am afraid that I'm a loss when it comes to the previous review. I am reviewing the 1987 Motown compact disc release of "Get Ready" by Rare Earth. This CD is a copy of the original vinyl album with no additional tracks or liner notes. The rear CD cover is a faithful reproduction of the back of the original LP. The original LP front cover image has been reduced and framed with some modern artwork from Motown. The music still sounds great. I am not aware of any tape hiss or the "flatness" of digital recording that so many reviewers complain about. Perhaps that is because this CD has NOT been re-mastered but simply "mastered for compact disc" as the inside cover states "by John Matousek at Motown/Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA" from the album "originally released on 9/30/69". The full 20 minute, five second original live version of "Get Ready" appears on this CD that was all of side two of the original album. This is the same version that the radio edit was taken from although some people have forgotten that "Get Ready" was originally a live recording. The drum solo sounds just as crisp and tight as it did back in '69 when I was learning the solo on my brother's set of drums.

If you loved the 1969 vinyl album, you will want to upgrade your library with this CD. Look for the words "A Motown Compact Classic" across the top of the front cover of the CD to be assured that you are getting the genuine copy of the original Motown recording. And it shouldn't be any more expensive than any other retail CD.

Trivia question: Rare Earth was the first white "artist" to be signed to record with Motown records. Who was the second of only two artists to be so honored? ............. Sam Harris was the second artist "without color" to ever be signed with Motown. (as of a few years ago) That status may have changed in the last few years. If I am incorrect as the number of "white" artists signed with Motown since Sam Harris, please leave a comment below to bring me up to speed. Thanks and enjoy the music.

This CD was released nearly 20 years ago, and is being sold for ridiculous prices to the uninformed. There are several options to obtain the same content, and in much better audio, for far less money.

First, there's the 2008 "Fill Your Head: The Studio Albums 1969-1974" set, which provides the complete primary, five album repertoire (Get Ready, Ecology, One World, Willie Remembers & Ma, plus singles and rare tracks) in matched audio. However, the set has some limitations, so please make sure you read my review before laying out nearly sixty dollars for it. It does, however, have better sound than this CD.

Optionally, you can assemble a great Rare Earth compilation, for less money, by purchasing The Millennium Collection, The Very Best Of & Ma, all of which have superior audio to both this disc and the "Fill Your Head" set. You just have to decide if those three discs will suffice to meet your Rare Earth needs.

Again, read my "Fill Your Head" review for this option.

So, before unnecessarily laying out big bucks for this ancient disc, check out the my suggested options. You'll be happy you did, and your wallet will thank you.