Two years ago, London band Dry the River gained a lot of plaudits for the passionate, agile, pastoral folk of their debut album Shallow Bed. Fast-forward two years, a lot of touring, the usual turmoil as a new band finds their feet, a change of record label, studio sessions in Iceland, Glasgow and the English countryside, and the band emerge on the other riverbank clutching Alarms In the Heart. On the face of it, little has changed between albums. Peter Liddle's voice still transmits rich, honest tones, his lyrics are still of the wearing- your-heart-on-the-sleeve variety and the band are still aiming for the big music (or, at least, their variation on it). Yet, there are some subtle iterations, with the title track, Gethsemane and Roman Candle showing a lot more heart and soul. You wouldn't quite call it a Snow Patrolesque move, but there are similar dance steps at play here. drytheriver.com