Albums by this artist

The Quiet Table (1999)

Three Fish

The Quiet Table

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» DAVID THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

Three Fish The Quiet Table Epic, 1999 RiYL: Critters Buggin, Tuatara

Three Fish is, by all definitions, a side project of Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament. Though Ament's Pearl Jam song credits include the mega hit "Jeremy" and the emotional "Nothingman," his second excursion with vocalist Robbie Robb and drummer Richard Stuverud is nowhere near the quality of his Pearl Jam work.

The Quiet Table is indeed quiet, as its name promises, but it doesn't delve into the creative rhythms that the trio's 1996 self-titled debut did. Nor does it take on any semblance of rock and roll, except on the Ament-penned track "My Only Foe," where he plays guitar and bass to back his own vocals. Still, even "Foe" would be considered a mild rock ballad at best.

Musically, Ament and Stuverud are solid, providing a flowing stream of sound reminiscent of the Middle Eastern and Indian music, mixed with '60s-flavored psychedelia. But The Quiet Table doesn't utilize upbeat jamming the way the band's debut did. The band cited a trip to Egypt as its inspiration for the album, but said trip didn't conjure much more than a dreamy and often sleepy trip to nowhere. The melodies are solid but they lack emotion, and the songs aren't helped by Robb's high-pitched, scratchy vocals.

It's unfortunate when a talented musician or two put out a subpar record. And a sophomore record is always the hardest to write. Still, The Quiet Table doesn't measure up to the high standards of Pearl Jam fans or even those who like the first Three Fish record. A deep disappointment.

DAVID THOMAS |