Scenery and Fish

by Tom DemalonAfter being pigeonholed as a metal band upon the release of their 1993 debut, Canadian band I Mother Earth returned in 1996 with Scenery and Fish. Guitarist Jag Tanna produced the sophomore effort with Paul Northfield and the resulting album, while not as immediate as Dig, is certainly every bit as rewarding."One More Astronaut" was the radio track and it is a propulsive cut, which explores loneliness and isolation over a crunching rhythmic melody. "Three Days Old" alternates a psychedelic feel with jarring instrumental passages. And "Used to Be Alright" incorporates the band's fondness for percussion into a groove-oriented rocker. Nothing on Scenery and Fish quite approaches the instantly memorable hooks of the band's debut, but instead tracks like "Raspberry" and "Another Sunday" settle slowly, but surely, into the brain. A worthy follow-up to an impressive first release, Scenery and Fish accords I Mother Earth a place among the more interesting and entertaining hard rock bands of recent years.