I Mother Earth — The Quicksilver Meat Dream

The title to I Mother Earth's latest release says it all: The Quicksilver Meat Dream. If that doesn't smack of lofty prog-rock ideals, nothing does. I Mother Earth have always longed to discover their inner King Crimson and, with this album, they've come a little closer to achieving that vision. Their improved sound is overseen by Canuck producer David Bottrill, the man who worked the boards for the likes of Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Tool and Mudvayne. The Chili Peppers influences of old have thankfully dissipated, save for "Juicy," wherein bassist Bruce Gordon reverts back to his irritating thumb-popping, hyper-funk groove. The poppier overtones are, for the most part, gone too. Extended songs that ebb and flow on Jag Tanna's ominous chords and Chris Tanna's tribal, tom-driven beats are the rule here. That said, I Mother Earth can't dig deep into the depths, like Tool or Mudvayne. Granted, Bottrill helps singer Brian Byrne find his brooding voice, similar to that of Maynard James Keenan, on songs like "Hell & Malfunction," "Meat Dream" and "I Is Us." Other songs, however, reveal the same hooky choruses and faux-soul inflections that made their Edwin years so annoying. For instance, "Like The Sun" is a pop tune wrapped in progressive packaging. This is nonetheless a significant step forward for one of Canada's veteran rock acts.

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