American Aquarium – The Fear Of Standing Still (Losing Side/Thirty Tigers)

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American Aquarium turns up the heat following the relatively mellow Chicamacomico (2022), despite front man BJ Barham’s new-found domestic bliss that finds him sober, married and a father.

While that sounds like a recipe for a boring batch of tunes about doing the dishes and changing nappies, nothing could be further from the truth here.

With the band keeping the same 6 members for the past five years…there are 31 past members…this is a band that knows each other and understand how to translate Barham’s very personal songs into something that sounds American Aquariumuniversal and inclusive.

In short, this band rocks.

They come barrelling out of the gate with opener Crier, a rocker with “sensitive” lyrics. The band conjures up an urgent, driving beat while Barham tells us, It’s ok to be a crier”.

As always, BJ’s not afraid to bare his soul and with a wife and 6-year-old at home, and his hard-drinking days behind him, the 40-year old is laying it all out there, whether it’s about his marriage (Messy As A Magnolia), aging (The Curse Of Growing Old), women’s rights (Babies Having Babies) or his heritage (Southern Roots).

Producer Shooter Jennings is back behind the glass…he seems to be everywhere…and the sound is solid, sleek and soulful. According to the PR, the record was recorded “live” at Sunset Sound in LA.

Southern Roots feels like the centrepiece of the record, as the North Carolina native ponders “replanting my Southern roots”, with Katie Pruit harmonising along with him.

And for those who need to rock, you can do no better than closer Head Down, Feet Moving, a rocker that kicks off with a Led Zep-style Rock & Roll drumbeat and a riff to match.

I can understand those who may tire of Barham’s tendency to preach, but that’s who he is. So, maybe skip over Piece By Piece and the title track if the slow ones bore you or bum you out.

For myself, there’s nothing like a hot band playing songs that mean something, and these days American Aquarium are one of the best.

Marty Duda

American Aquarium’s The Fear Of Standing Still is released July 26th. Pre-order now

 

 

 

 

Marty Duda
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