Aquarian Blood’s new record, Counting Backwards Again, was borne out of immense challenge in many ways. With a string of punk and folk albums that earned praise, the band’s J.B. Horrell suddenly found that he couldn’t play guitar. He’d been diagnosed with a degenerative nerve condition called branchial neuritis, and he soon learned that he had spinal stenosis.
“My range of motion in my right arm is severely limited due to muscle atrophy from the shoulder down. At first, I couldn’t play guitar, and I drank a lot and got depressed about it because I always loved to shred, etc. So I had to re-learn to play guitar holding it between my legs vertically and resting my right arm on my right leg for support cuz no muscles to hold it up,” Horrell wrote.
He didn’t expect his new guitar technique to be a revelation, forming the backbone of the band’s latest album. The record was co-released on April 19th by Black & Wyatt Records, Beluga Records, and Head Perfume Records. Thus, it’s a truly international affair that closes out this chapter of the band’s journey as it enters its 10th year.
For Aquarian Blood, Counting Backwards Again marks the final entry of a trilogy of records inspired partly by its travels in the Mountain West. The husband-and-wife duo of J.B. Horrell (formerly of Ex-Cult) and Laurel Horrell (formerly of the Nots) made the intimate lo-fi album in their home in Memphis, Tennessee. Whether they play punk or psychedelic folk, the band’s sound is marked by sonic experimentation, conjuring peculiar, hazy images.
J.B. plays various instruments on Counting Backwards Again, including drums, synth, and even a wooden flute on “Forecast Paralyzed.” J.B. and Laurel co-wrote all the songs together.
The new LP hints at British acoustic folk in the melodies and fingerpicked guitars. The album is both creaky and unearthly, taking a less-is-more approach and creating mesmerizing sounds. Listening to the record, I hear the ghosts of Nick Drake and Johnny Cash, particularly Cash’s late-life American Recordings albums he made with Rick Rubin. Counting Backwards Again is haunting stuff, sounding like it has roots in the harsh soil of Tennessee but also veering into the metaphysical.
Aquarian Blood is launching a U.S. tour on June 5th to promote the record, so check the full dates below for a chance to see them live:
Wed 6/5 – Dallas TX – Texas Theater (w/ Oblong Cassidy and His Space Horse)
Thur 6/6 – San Antonio TX – Faust Tavern
Fri 6/7 – Marfa TX – The Pony
Sat 6/8 – Tucson AZ – Wooden Tooth (w/ Lenguas Largas)
Sun 6/9 – San Diego, CA – Tower Bar (w/ Spit Vipers)
Mon 6/10 – Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon (w/ The Intelligence)
Tue 6/11 – San Pedro – The Sardine (w/ X-Eye)s
Wed 6/12 – Oakland – Thee Stork Club (w/ F**wolf, Freak No Hitter)
Thu 6/13 – San Francisco – The Knockout (w/ Colossal Yes)
Fri 6/14 – Arcata CA – Siren’s Song
Sat 6/15 – Portland OR – Turn!Turn!Turn! (w/ Dirty Twins, Potatoes)
Sun 6/16 – Olympia, WA – Le Voyeur (w/ Nudity)
Mon 6/17 – Missoula, MT – MUD
Tue 6/18 – Salt Lake City, UT – International Artists Lounge (w/ Jacob Skeen)
Wed 6/19 – Denver, CO – Hi-Dive (w/ Joe Sampson, Deva Yoder)
Thu 6/20 – Omaha, NE – Grapefruit Records (w/ David Nance)
Fri 6/21 – Kansas City, KS – Hillsiders
Sat 6/22 – Carbondale IL – Booby’s (w/ Pet Mosquito, Hans Predator)
Check out Counting Backwards Again by Aquarian Blood on Bandcamp here.
You can support Aquarian Blood by finding them on Bandcamp or social media (Facebook, Instagram).
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