SPOTLIGHT: American Aquarium’s BJ Barham on Hanging In for The Long Haul [VIDEO]
Stacy Chandler
Posted On May 6, 2020
Photo by Alyssa Gafkjen
BJ Barham has faced obstacles that would have prompted a lot of people to quit following their dreams: bandmates who left, an addiction that wouldn’t, and the challenges that the touring life presents in a marriage.
But instead of letting his dream die, as he sings in “The Long Haul,” he saw it through, emerging as a songwriter who just keeps getting better and better, with lyrics that are packed with truths he’s gathered from his own hard years and keen observation of the world around him.
“The Long Haul” wraps up American Aquarium’s new album, Lamentations, and is in that position for a reason, Barham says in his Spotlight video for No Depression.
“When you’re dealing with such a heavy record like Lamentations is, I left a little bit of hope, a little bit of a silver lining at the very end of the record,” he explains. While many of the album’s songs are heavy, he wanted to leave listeners with some light: “I wanted to make sure that they know that no matter how dark today is, tomorrow is gonna be a little bit better.”
He knows that from experience, and there’s lots more commentary on that from Barham in this video for No Depression readers:
American Aquarium is No Depression’s Spotlight band for May 2020. You can read more about the band and their new album, Lamentations, here.
