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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Take In The Scenery!, June 20, 2001
This sophomore effort by I Mother Earth is the most popular release by either IME or its former vocalist Edwin, and it's easy to see why. This is one of those unforgettable albums that stays strong from start to finish, and sticks with you long after you've finished listening. While its predecessor, Dig, focused more on a harder-edged alternative sound, Scenery and Fish is post-grunge rock at its best, during the prime of post-grunge.The band takes traditional song structures and either throws them aside or adds more meat to them, thus making the songs more interesting and stripping them of predictability. The IME-trademark jams are less about blistering musicianship this time and more about taking you on a journey to some other place, only to deposit you right back into the song. Vocalist Edwin does more singing and less yelling on this album, and the result is some sticky pop melodies. Guitarist Jagori Tanna writes music that is more diverse and experimental than the previous album, yet still ear-candy. He and bassist Bruce Gordon continue their uniquely layered sound, but with less emphasis on aggression and more on creating distinct (and occasionally trippy) songs with their own identities, yet still catchy and still completely rock. The percussive elements are more understated than on Dig, and Christian Tanna's drumming is less frenetic, but equally skillful. His psychedelic-poetic lyrics are strangely catchy here as well. Overall, Scenery and Fish could be described as a summertime, top-down driving album. While it does not have the raw desire of Dig running through it, it is much more polished. As mentioned, there is not one disappointing song on the album, and while there are a few songs on Dig that could be considered better, the Scenery and Fish album as a whole is stronger.
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by I Mother Earth 
