Shallow Bed

Dry the River

2012

3.17

Rating

Votes

29%

33%

21%

14%

Distribution

Genres: Rock Styles: Folk Rock, Indie Rock

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Album Summary

Shallow Bed is the debut studio album from English folk rock band Dry The River and was released 5 March 2012. The album peaked at number 28 on the UK Albums Chart. The album includes the singles "No Rest", "The Chambers & the Valves" and "New Ceremony". Shallow Bed was well received by music critics. Lewis Corner of Digital Spy gave the album a positive review stating, "Frontman Peter Liddle's smooth and dulcet tones - reminiscent of Brandon Flowers - are able to command both the anthemic stadium fillers and the delicate ballads that reside here. The latter is evident on 'Bible Belt', a song dealing with alcoholic parents, where Liddle's vocal nimbly pirouettes over a soft blend of gentle acoustics and orchestral undertones. What's most exciting is Dry The River's ability to open the lid on a song and let it soar; a prime example being the entangled vocal and guitar building throughout 'No Rest', which gloriously explodes by the track's end. This knack has the potential to deliver sky-blistering live performances that should make them a talking point throughout 2012 and, if we're lucky, well beyond."

Reviews

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May 06 2026 Author

Never ran across this band before. I started off thinking this was pretty nice, but as I heard more and the songs took on a more epic stature I really started loving this. Weights & Measures and Dry The River really grabbed my attention. Great album!

May 12 2026 Author

Was going to give it 4 stars but Lion's Den clinched it.

May 12 2026 Author

This was a lovely album. Some good harmonies. Too bad this band has split up, cause they sound like something I would enjoy seeing live one day

May 03 2026 Author

My first impression was this was solidly in line with (and not standing out that much from) a now commonplace folk-adjacent, alternative rock/pop sound. However, as it went along it really opened up that sound into interesting compositions. A cut above.

May 03 2026 Author

This is amazing. I'm really sad to learn they only made two albums. At times, they remind me of Arcade Fire at their best with their anthems. At other times they remind me of bands like Fleet Foxes. This could become part of my regular rotation. 4 stars, potentially 5 after further listens.

May 13 2026 Author

Pretty good, in a Mumford and Sons-esque, huge sound rising above the natural landscapes, kind of way. I liked it and would potentially listen again.

May 08 2026 Author

Shallow Bed is an indierock album by Dry the River. It sounds a bit like early 2000s indie bands like Keane. It's the same goody-goody and unoffensive type of music. Exceptions are the first track Animal Skins, Shaker Hymns and certainly No Rest. If all tracks had the same intend and tension as that last one it would have been a great album. Now this album is just ok and fine.

May 02 2026 Author

Folk rock, indie folk. Está bien. Un 4, venga.

May 02 2026 Author

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: New ceremony, History book, The chambers & the valves, No rest

May 07 2026 Author

Good stuff

May 03 2026 Author

It’s fine, not terribly exciting or distinct from what’s on the main 1001 but thankfully easy to listen to. Sits right at a 2.5 for me given how apathetic this listen made me feel, decent guitar pushes it just over the the edge to where a 3 feels okay.

May 06 2026 Author

Some points caught my attention, most didn’t

May 10 2026 Author

Modern folk zone

May 11 2026 Author

The length of the album put me off but I actually didn’t mind the individual tracks.

May 14 2026 Author

Reading that this was indie folk rock, I was really hoping it wouldn't sound a specific way, and unfortunately it sounded exactly that way. There are a couple songs that when I separate it from everything else were pretty decent, but I really can't stand this sound.