American Aquarium Releases “Messy As A Magnolia,” BJ Barham’s Heartfelt Ode To His Wife’s Longstanding Loyalty

The new American Aquarium album can't get here fast enough. Led by frontman and songwriter BJ Barham, the Raleigh, NC alt-country outfit is on the verge of the release of their 10th studio album The Fear of Standing Still , due out in less than a month on July 26. An impressive feat for any artist to accomplish, Barham and American Aquarium have been nothing short of prolific over the past two decades, and despite an impressive quantity of content in their catalog, not once have they sacrificed the quality. One of the best songwriters to ever put pen to paper, in my humble opinion, Barham's elite lyrical prowess is sure to be on full display throughout this 10-track project, especially if the singles released thus far are any indication. Successfully building anticipation as the full album release approaches, American Aquarium released "Crier" as the lead single back on May 1st before following that up with "Cherokee Purples" a few later and now the third single "Messy As A Magnolia." As a proud North Carolinian myself, one of my favorite aspects of American Aquarium's music is the vivid imagery in Barham's lyricism that so often and eloquently, or perhaps brashly depending on the circumstance, depicts life in the Tarheel State and the greater American South. "Messy As A Magnolia" is a great example, and you don't need to look any further than the song title for proof. The content of the new tune, though, carries a lot of weight for anyone who knows Barham's story. Coming up on 10 years of sobriety this August, American Aquarium was notorious in the early days for their partying, but the bad habits eventually caught up to Barham, who despite the prevalence of addiction in his family, was able to quit the drugs and alcohol cold turkey. One of the main factors in Barham's life changing decision to pursue sobriety, in addition to the mere fact that he realized his habits could derail his career and even his life, was a commitment to the woman whom he would marry just a few months after his final drink. Now married for nearly ten years to his wife Rachael, Barham's latest track "Messy As A Magnolia" seems to be a direct representation of the love for each other that he and his wife share and that decision he made years ago to turn his life around. "There's a darkness deep down in my bones, a sickness I can't shake It's been there since I remember, I got it honest as my last name Yet you saw some' worth savin', helped me sweat the fever out Behind every good man is a better somebody that should have never stuck around So honey, take my hand What part of 'I ain't leavin''  don't you understand? But I ain't the kind to quit when the going gets tough I've never ran from a fight I'll sit right here if it takes all night Meant every word I said when I gave you that ring Honey, I'm gon' love you 'til the wheels fall off of this thing Sometimes good people do horrible things And sometimes those people need a reason to change" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmfX_YLxRfg Checkout the full track list for American Aquarium's forthcoming 10th studio record The Fear of Standing Still below, and be on the lookout for the album's release on July 26. "Crier" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkvbS4yUKnU "Messy As A Magnolia" "Cherokee Purples" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqHWiErSXIY "The Getting Home" "Southern Roots" "The Curse of Growing old" "The Fear of Standing Still" "Piece By Piece" "Babies Having Babies" "Head Down, Feet Moving" It really doesn't get much better than American Aquarium, especially when they're playing these songs live. Their high energy alt-country rock and roll show needs to be at the top of every country music fan's concert bucket list this summer, and as one would expect from one of the hardest touring bands of the 21st century, there are tons of opportunities to check them out coming up. See American Aquarium's tour dates below: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6bXKtsOCc4/