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Dry the River developed from singer Peter Liddle’s acoustic solo tour in 2009, after which accrued members, and now flatmates, convinced him to take his folk tunes in a heavier direction. It was a good idea, and successful enough to attract the interest of The National/Interpol producer Peter Katis to oversee this debut.
And it works – at least once the listener is clear of dull opener Animal Skins. If it was to be bracketed as a calling card effort, it’d be one that barely makes the wallet, its makers sounding twice their ages and uncomfortable with the burden of youth. But true form is found on the single New Ceremony: a belter of a tune, it comes complete with a heart-warming chorus.
Much of this band’s recent promotion has focused on acoustic performances, and the full-blooded versions of their songs here may wrong-foot those expecting such gentleness. Channelling the energy of bands such as At the Drive-In and Grinderman, both History Book and the string-laden The Chambers & The Valves demonstrate the success of mining folk roots while the guitars are turned up to 10. Bible Belt earnestly devours classic Americana literature and hardship: "Lo and behold your mother is drinking again / This might be the coldest winter since records began." Importantly, Liddle’s last-to-leave-the-school-choir vocals provide an otherworldliness which offsets these songs’ gritty realism to great effect.
Although the band will be encouraged by the recent success of The Horrors and The Maccabees, both of whom have embraced electronics with devastating success, this is a direction Dry the River won't be taking any time soon. Their eagerness to record using analogue equipment can be heard throughout this set – it’s a wonder they weren’t mixed using steam-powered desks while mobile phones were banned from the premises.
Shallow Bed is a brave start for this long-hyped but still young band. Although at times the tunes and excitement commonly associated with a debut album can become lost in painful pursuit of authenticity, this is a surefooted and uncompromising collection.
--Tom Hocknell
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The production gives it a consistent sound without ever becoming samey- the songs clearly belong together but there is nothing monotonous about the record. It helps that Peter Liddle is a extraordinarily deft lyricist, his songwriting stepping between emotional honesty and obscure reference with a rare and precious agility. The musicianship throughout is excellent - the strings and guitars soar through the songs, the rhythm section know when to thunder and when to whisper and there are moments of beautiful layered choral harmonies.
Over the years I have enjoyed a lot of artists that get classified as "Americana" but as an Englishman with a real interest in my own cultural identity what I really wanted to hear music that brought that attitude to this side of the Atlantic. In this album, pastoral and spacious, by turns sweeping, tender and wild, I am hearing exactly that. Anglicana, you might say. Or listening to these vocals like a world-weary Jeff Buckley and borrowing a pun famously coined by a 6th Century pope: Angelicana.
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