AMERICAN AQUARIUM Explores DIY Grit On New Single "CAN'T INTO COULD"
BJ Barham says the song was inspired by a longtime NC State sports announcer's catchphrase.
AMERICAN AQUARIUM frontman BJ Barham has spoken about the origins of CAN'T INTO COULD, a track from the band's new album NEW WAYS TO LOSE. Barham said the song grew out of two decades spent building a music career on a do-it-yourself basis, often by proving skeptics wrong.
'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.
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
NEW WAYS TO LOSE was produced by Shooter Jennings and recorded in Los Angeles over a 10-day session, with much of the album tracked live before overdubs added three-part harmonies and horn arrangements.
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