American Aquarium's European tour kicks off next week

B.J. Barham, frontman of American Aquarium, has spent the last couple of years trying to make musical sense of his own wreckage, so it’s not surprising to see the resulting set of songs named after a place that historically provided maritime rescues for those literally sinking off the coast of his native North Carolina. 

Chicamacomico is the name of a decommissioned live-saving station in Rodanthe, N.C., located on the state’s Outer Banks. It now also serves as the title of American Aquarium’s latest album, a serious and significant work from the band on which Barham’s lyrical turns are given more prominence than ever before. Barham and company are all-in on the Chicamacomico theme, which is what allows the album to freely move in such deep waters. American Aquarium’s latest is its own life-saving station, a series of mournful reflections on the various ways in which the last two years have left him (and us) shipwrecked.

If that sounds dark and depressing, it is. Barham is unapologetic about the heavy lyrical processing that takes up so much space on the record, but the band’s musical restraint on these 10 tracks is what allows the listener to make such a strong connection to Barham’s own emotions and experiences. 

American Aquarium is known for its sometimes country, sometimes folky, sometimes anthemic songs, mixing great musicianship with lyrics both pointed and personal. Their latest album takes a quiet, more introspective turn but on their upcoming tour we can expect a mix of their earlier and latest album. Bringing singer-songwriter Kirby Brown they're starting their long-awaited European tour next week:

07/02: Paris, FR - La Boule Noire
08/02: Leffinge, BE - De Zwerver
09/02: London, UK - Oslo Hackney
10/02: Manchester, UK - Night & Day
11/02: Glasgow, UK - Broadcast
12/02: Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
14/02: Utrecht, NL - TivoliVredenburg
15/02: Cologne, DE - Die Kantine
16/02: Groningen, NL - De Oosterpoort
17/02: Berlin, DE - Privat Club
18/02: Hamburg, DE - Nochtwache
19/02: Falkenberg, SWE - Tryckhallen
20/02: Stockholm, SWE - Nalen Klubb
21/02: Oslo, NO - John Dee
22/02: Gothenburg, SWE - Pustervik
23/02: Kristianstad, SWE - Biljardkompaniet