Independent Weekly (Raleigh,NC)
"hard-nosed, soft-hearted country-founded rock pushed down the road by a driving rhythm section and an acoustic guitar's unrepentant major chords but guided to safety by expansive lovelorn narratives"-Grayson Currin
________________________
Flagpole Magazine (Athens,GA)
"think Springsteen teaming up with Whiskeytown"-Michelle Gilzenrat
________________________
Columbia Free Times (Columbia,SC)
Solid songwriting and an eclectic array of instruments could help American Aquarium carve out its own corner of the alt-country kingdom."-Tug Baker
________________________
Connect Savannah (Savannah,GA)
"The hardest working band in the South"-Bill Deyoung
________________________
Columbia City Paper (Columbia,SC)
"..they’ve become one of the most entertaining acts in the Carolinas, letting the raucous alt-country rock ring."-Sean Rayford
________________________
Knoxville Metro Pulse (Knoxville,TN)
"this is what the Boss would've sounded like in his early years, if he were raised in North Carolina instead of Jersey." -Leah E. Willis
________________________
Creative Loafing (Charlotte,NC)
"B.J. Barham is a sort of post-Ryan Adams Raleigh songwriter to watch."- Tim Davis
Hailing from Raleigh, NC, American Aquarium’s southern musical perspective is a blend of honest songwriting, an unwavering work ethic, and a genuine love of rock & roll. Whether you call it alt-country, Americana, or roots rock, one thing is for certain: Their music is a fresh voice that borrows from many forms of the American songbook.
25-year old songwriter and band leader, BJ Barham, brings songs to the five other band mates who breathe life into a performance that is equal parts Springsteen-esque rock bravado, old-school country lyrical heartbreak, and indie-rock introspection. From the college coeds to tattooed bikers and hipsters, the band has demonstrated their ability to cross boundaries.
With 4 years, 4 albums, and over 600 shows under their belts, American Aquarium is the continuance of the road warrior meets studio craftsman ethic that has long been a part of the rock & roll and country music cultures. They are a band and crew that spend their lives between a van with no air-conditioning and stages all across the country. Their collaboration forms a wholly new and polished version of what Americana might start to look like in the years to come.
Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm & gaiety to life & to everything.
Ya'll are amazing!! Ya'll bring more to the life of music than I have heard in a very long time. Keep up the ethos, and I hope to hear you playing live again!!
