LP Review: Ecology and One World
ECOLOGY
Released: 1970
LP Charts: #15 pop, #4 R&B
Ecology seems like an attempt to replicate Rare Earth. If it worked the first time, why change up the formula? Crank out a jam-band version of Motown pop classic and surround it with a bunch of shorter funk-rock tunes.
Well, the good news is that the band’s cover of an old Temptations’ classic is merely super long and not marathon long. That classic would be “(I Know) I'm Losing You” and it was another top 10 pop hit (#7 pop, #20 R&B) when released in edited form. Not as successful as the cover of “Get Ready” (#4 pop), but I think “I’m Losing You” is better done, which I actually chalk up to the originals.
“Get Ready” seemed perfect as a short, less-than-three-minutes dance song. For Rare Earth to extend it out to 21 minutes was not only excessive, but totally unnecessary. Meanwhile the original “I’m Losing You” was a stormy, muscular soul ballad that seemed too short in its original form. It left you wanting more whereas “Get Ready” was perfect, as I said up top.
Indeed I gave the Tempts “Get Ready” a 10/10. ( FYI, I gave the Tempts’ “I’m Losing You” an 8.5/10).
So the “I’m Losing You” ground was ripe for Rare Earth to come in and extend a song that should have always been longer from the get go. It was needlessly constricted by pop conventions of 1967 that had loosened considerably by 1970. Rare Earth introduces congas, a sloppy guitar solo, some menacing bass, and pecking organ which ALL feel right at home here. All that said, I like the Temptations’ version better by a hair cuz their vocals are amazing, but this attempt by Rare Earth ain’t no slouch by any means. Would love to see what the early ‘70s Temptations could have done with this track.
Okay enough of that, what about the other songs?
Well, this album does have my pick for best Rare Earth song ever: “Born to Wander” (#17 pop, #48 R&B). This funk-rocker just sloshes along beautifully from its opening peppy flute to a searing electric guitar that slides in to briefly shred before the band goes to harmonizing like they’re in a church revival.
Other fine songs include the rock ballad “Long Time Leavin’”, the organ-filled funk of “Satisfaction Guaranteed”, and the Latinish “No. 1 Man” which has a rip-roaring guitar solo.
However, this album also has its issues. Namely, the mundane “Nice Place to Visit” and a horrific cover of “Eleanor Rigby”. I can get through the former, it’s just generic. The latter is genuinely awful. Like one of the worst pieces of music ever.
Anyways, a solid album when you discount that travesty, which knocks the whole LP down a substantial peg.
ALBUM GRADE: C+
Song Scores:
Born to Wander: 9/10
Long Time Leavin’: 7/10
(I Know) I'm Losing You: 8/10
Satisfaction Guaranteed: 7/10
Nice Place to Visit: 5/10
No. 1 Man: 7/10
Eleanor Rigby: 1/10
ONE WORLD
Released: 1971
LP Charts: #28 pop, #12 R&B
One World is the best Rare Earth album yet. It again had a blockbuster single, the imminently joyful rocker “I Just Want to Celebrate” (#7 pop, #30 R&B). More importantly, the album had no clunkers and no needlessly long extended jams.
We’re talking eight tracks, seven of which run crisply between 3:30 and 5:00. Only a cover of Ray Charles’s “What’d I Say” (#61 pop) goes long at 7:16, but that’s tame compared to earlier hits/covers like “Get Ready” or “(I Know) I'm Losing You”.
As for the non-singles, “If I Die” is delightfully somber with its acoustic guitar and smokey sax. “The Seed” digs on the funk.
“Someone to Love” after a slightly shaky opening gets into a good Latin-rock groove that puts it up a peg. “Any Man Can Be a Fool” is about as soothing as a Rare Earth song can be. “The Road” ain’t soothing. It is standard-fare funk-rock. “Under God’s Light” combines the funk-rock and soothing sounds. Nice album closer.
ALBUM GRADE: B-
Pretty solid album where every song works out fine. Also, the band had a single-only release in this period, “Hey Big Brother” (7.5/10), that would have bumped this bad boy up to a B.
Song Scores
What’d I Say: 7.5/10
If I Die: 7.5/10
The Seed: 7/10
I Just Want To Celebrate: 9/10
Someone to Love: 6/10
Any Man Can Be a Fool: 7/10
The Road: 6/10
Under God's Light: 7/10