Dry the River

Dry The River were fortunate to have released their debut album into a world that had already been won over by Mumford & Sons, because it's one that's going to be very interested in Shallow Bed. After all, everybody now loves that kind of harmony-laden, folky rock, so world domination could await. But it most likely won't, as the London, UK band aren't as crowd-pleasing as the Mumfords. Dry The River are just a little too intense and serious for their own good ― they barely crack a smile, with almost every song building up slowly to a stirring climax, and their detachment from the music could make it difficult to get onboard. Yet when they get the balance between melodrama and accessibility just right, as on "New Ceremony" and "Weights & Measures," there's no doubting their abilities. They just need to lighten up a little.