For over two decades, BJ Barham has been the driving force behind American Aquarium, a band that has weathered countless changes in lineup, sound, and personal circumstances. Barham’s journey—from the gritty, youthful exuberance of dive bars to the reflective maturity that comes with sobriety, marriage, and fatherhood—has shaped the band’s evolution. With a deep love for Whiskeytown and Drive-by Truckers, as well as Springsteen and Petty, Barham has masterfully steered American Aquarium through these transitions. The result is an authentic narrative arc that resonates through their music, with each album offering a new chapter in their story.
Their 10th album, The Fear of Standing Still, feels like a culmination of this journey, standing tall on the foundation built over the past 20 years. Reuniting with producer Shooter Jennings, who also helmed their 2020 release Lamentations, Barham and the band dive back into their rock-and-roll roots after the more folk-inspired Chicamacomico in 2022. The album kicks off with “Crier,” a high-energy track with pounding drums and gritty guitars, setting the tone for a collection that includes future setlist staples like “Messy as a Magnolia,” “The Getting Home,” and the anthemic closer “Head Down, Feet Moving.” The band also experiments with indie rock elements, incorporating echoing guitars on “Cherokee Purple” and a dreamy keyboard intro on “Southern Roots.”
Yet, as always with American Aquarium, it’s Barham’s songwriting that takes center stage. His early work was marked by a sense of fatalism and personal struggle, but each subsequent album has seen him gradually emerge from that darkness. On “Magnolias,” a triumphant ode to the challenges and rewards of long-term relationships, Barham sings, “Honey, take my hand / What part of I ain’t leaving don’t you understand,” showcasing his growth as a storyteller who can weave personal experience into universal truths. – Jason Felton