They borrowed their unusual band name from a lyric by
Wilco and fans of this americana band will also take notice of American Aquarium. The North Carolina-based group has been around since 2005, with singer and guitarist BJ Barham as frontman and main songwriter. Remarkably, in 2020, with an entirely new lineup, he made
Lamentations, American Aquarium's most acclaimed album. Successor Chicamacomico
… is certainly not inferior, but offers no surprises. An acoustically oriented sound with howling pedal steel accompanies the melodic and carried songs of Barham whose cracked voice sometimes reminds of Neil Diamond. The music is rooted in country, but does not shy away from more bombastic heartland rock. Chicamacomico thus became a beautifully crafted and spirited alt-country album. (MR)more
