The first white act signed to Motown Records (Barry Gordy named an entire new label after them), Rare Earth came out of Detroit in the late '60s and was one of the funkiest, most soulful groups around, regardless of the members' skin tone. Rare Earth had a half-dozen Top Ten hits in the early '70s and is probably best known for its raucous covers of The Temptations' "Get Ready" and "(I Know) I'm Losing You," plus its original party-starting anthem "I Just Want to Celebrate." With an abundance of wah-wah guitars, wily organ riffs, thick bass lines, and potent vocals from lead singer/drummer Peter Rivera, Rare Earth was on the same page as acts like MC5 and War, fusing hard rock, sweaty soul, and psychedelic freakiness. The band has recorded a dozen albums over the years with about a dozen different lineups and still performs occasionally, though this compilation focuses on its earlier heyday. It should be noted that the big hits here are all "singles versions" (i.e. shorter than the original album cuts), but they still sound fantastic. Don't miss "Hey Big Brother," the Marvin Gaye cover "Chained," or the Bee Gees collabo "Warm Ride."