American Aquarium

American Aquarium

American Aquarium is an alternative country band from Raleigh, United States. The group is active from 2005 and is led by founder, lead vocalist and guitarist BJ Barham. Its name comes from the Wilco song “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”.

Line-up and activity

The band’s members include BJ Barham, Ryan Johnson and Whit Wright. A later line-up announced in April 2017 includes drummer Joey Bybee, bass player Ben Hussey, guitarist Shane Boeker and pedal-steel player Adam Kurtz, who also fronts the Buck Owens tribute band Buck N’ Stuff. Bybee leaves in August 2018 and is replaced by Matty Alger, who leaves in February 2019. Kurtz leaves after the Mile Zero festival in January 2019, and Hussey leaves in July 2019.

Recordings

American Aquarium’s first album, Antique Hearts, is released in 2006. It follows with The Bible and the Bottle in 2008. In 2012 the band releases two albums, Live in Raleigh and Burn. Flicker. Die. Their sixth original album, Wolves, appears in 2015 and is partly funded through a Kickstarter campaign that raises $24,000 for production; it is recorded in Asheville, North Carolina at Echo Mountain.

The live release Live at Terminal West appears after a show recorded in November 2015 at Terminal West in Atlanta, Georgia. Things Change is released on New West Records in 2018, followed by Lamentations on New West Records in 2020.