American Aquarium Craft An Ode To Fiery DIY Resourcefulness On “Can’t Into Could”

Watch a live performance of “Can’t Into Could” HERE Acclaimed new album New Ways to Lose out now “Showcases the band at the top of its game.” - Rolling Stone Extensive U.S./UK tour runs through November

July 30, 2026 - “Wanna watch me do something, tell me I can't.” That’s what American Aquarium frontman and songwriter BJ Barham bellows during the chorus of “Can’t Into Could,” a standout from the band’s acclaimed new album New Ways to Lose. The melodic rocker is an ode to the resilience Barham has had over his 20 year career, forging a successful career on his own terms via a completely DIY ethos.

“The first line of this song was inspired by long-time NC State sports announcer Gary Hahn,” explains Barham. “Anytime the Wolfpack would blow a huge lead or fall short of a heroic comeback he would calmly say on the air that the Pack ‘invented a new way to lose’ or ‘once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.’ I find a lot of correlation between those sports analogies and my early career. Just not being able to get out of my own way and let the win happen. There’s a running joke in our band that if you want to watch BJ do something, tell him he can’t do it. Twenty years in, I’ve built my career on proving people wrong and doing so on my own terms. This is a personal favorite of mine that serves as my daily reminder that the game isn't over until I stop playing.”

On New Ways to Lose, Barham and his band of road warriors turn two decades of survival into a driving, deeply-felt rock & roll statement — one built on resilience, reinvention, and the hard-earned clarity that only comes with time. Produced once again by multi-time Grammy winner Shooter Jennings, the album was recorded in Los Angeles over a 10-day session that captured the band at their most immediate and alive. Much of the record was tracked live, with Jennings encouraging spontaneity and instinct over perfection, while a round of overdubs offered the opportunity to add three-part harmonies and horn arrangements to the songs. The result is a muscular, cinematic record that embraces both sides of American Aquarium's identity: the bruised confessionals of a songwriter who's already spent decades sharpening his craft, and the full-throttle release of an anthemic, amplified rock & roll band.

Here’s what press have been saying about American Aquarium and New Ways to Lose: “Showcases the band at the top of its game and Barham at the top of his craft as a songwriter.” -Rolling Stone “By addressing downtowns losing their identities, communities struggling to keep up and the growing distance between the people living those realities, Barham offers one of the most astute modern critiques of the evolving American landscape and its big city gaze wandering from the small towns that define it.” -People “Reflecting on broken towns or lasting love, old dogs or little kids, he brings the keen eye and generous heart of his forebearers the Bottle Rockets, Drive-By Truckers and spiritual granddaddy John Prine.” -Uncut “Country’s bard of the hard-luck heartland.” -Garden & Gun “A fine testament to his storytelling skill.” -Country Universe “BJ Barham and American Aquarium deliver an impassioned, propulsive, and potent experience to those unafraid to lose in life, and would rather do so than win the easy way.” -Saving Country Music “Could be Barham’s best work yet.” -Whiskey Riff “A balance between sentimental tracks about dogs and family and left-of-Democrats socio-political critiques.” -No Depression “American Aquarium and front man BJ Barham continue to prove why they remain one of the most vital voices in Americana and roots rock.” -Twangville

For Barham — who formed the band in 2006 in Raleigh, North Carolina — the album isn't just a snapshot on a band at its peak. It's a personal turning point, too. "All of my records are yearbooks," he says. "Twenty years from now, I'll pull them off the shelf and remember exactly who I was when I wrote them." If earlier albums offered glimpses of a man in his 20s, making his way through a haze of uncertainty, heartache, and bad behavior, then New Ways to Lose finds Barham writing from a place of hard-won maturity. He's not just a songwriter anymore; he's a husband, father, and bandleader who's fully comfortable confronting the dark corners of the human experience. Across these ten songs, he tackles themes like the downfall of small-town America (“Dollar General”), the yearning for true connection (“Out There In The Dark”), the socioeconomic wreckage of unconstitutional politics (“History Repeats Itself”), and even the devastation of losing a beloved pet (“Favorite Hello”), making room for tenderness and gratitude amidst the sonic stomp of his band.

Released independently through Barham's own Losing Side Records, New Ways to Lose doubles down on the freedom that American Aquarium have spent two decades fighting for. They own their publishing. They answer to nobody. And while the industry continues chasing trends, American Aquarium are still doing things their own way — including dropping the album just two weeks after announcing it. "We take our hits and we get back up," Barham says, "and we do what we do. There are three things you can count on: death, taxes, and American Aquarium showing up to your town once a year to play a rock & roll show."

Twenty years and twenty albums in, American Aquarium aren’t chasing validation anymore. They've built something bigger: a career on their own terms, a loyal community, and a catalog that continues to evolve without compromise. New Ways to Lose doesn't sound like a band slowing down. It sounds like winning — like musicians who know exactly who they are.

American Aquarium 2026 Tour Dates August 13 - Floyd, VA - Warren G. Lineberry Park August 14 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium August 15 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre August 16 - Washington DC - Union Stage August 17 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair August 18 - New York, NY - Racket August 19 - Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall August 20 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall August 21 - Des Moines, IA - xBk August 22 - Lincoln, NE - Memorial Stadium September 3 - Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall September 4 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre September 5 - Snowshoe, WV - Snowshoe Mountain Resort - Ballhooter Festival September 6 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry September 7 - Philadelphia, PA - World Stage September 8 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom & Tavern September 9 - Detroit, MI - Magic Bag September 10 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave September 11 - Madison, IN - Unbroken Circle Festival September 12 - St. Louis, MO - The Old Rockhouse September 13 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom September 15 - Phoenix, AZ - The Rhythm Room September 16 - West Hollywood, CA - The Roxy Theatre September 17 - San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop September 18 - Bend, OR - Silver Moon Brewery September 19 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater September 20 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile September 22 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory Boise September 23 - Bozeman, MT - Tune Up Bar September 24 - Salt Lake City, UT - Soundwell September 25 - Denver, CO - Ophelia's Electric Soapbox September 26 - Lubbock, TX - Cactus Theater September 27 - Dallas, TX - Longhorn Ballroom September 28 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall - 1884 Lounge October 22 - Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads - The Saloon October 23 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom October 24 - Lincoln, NE - Bourbon Theatre October 25 - Saint Paul, MN - Turf Club October 26 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon October 27 - Davenport, IA - Racoon Motel October 28 - Bloomington, IL - Castle Theatre October 29 - Grand Rapids, MI - Elevation October 30 - Columbus, OH - Rumba Cafe October 31 - Indianapolis, IN - Hi-Fi Indy November 1 - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom November 7 - Groningen, NL - Take Root Festival November 8 - Hassocks, UK - Mid Sussex Music Hall November 9 - London, UK - The 100 Club November 10 - Cambridge, UK - Mash November 11 - Manchester, UK - New Century November 12 - Bristol, UK - Thekla November 28 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West November 29 - Ponte Vedra Beach, FL - Ponte Vedra Concert Hall November 30 - Orlando, FL - The Social December 1 - Mobile, AL - The Merry Widow December 2 - New Orleans, LA - Chickie Wah Wah December 3 - Houston, TX - The Heights Theater December 6 - Wichita, KS - WAVE December 7 - Fayetteville, AR - George's Majestic Lounge December 8 - Oxford, MS - Proud Larry's December 9 - Little Rock, AR - White Water Tavern December 10 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn December 11 - Greenville, SC - Radio Room - Greenville

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