Moody rock balladry
Craig L. Gidney | Washington, DC USA | 08/03/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Heather Duby's first album, Post to Wire, was an exercise in glacial electronica. Her cool, crystalline voice cast out one-liners and observations against state of the art samples and beats that emphasized atmospheric over harmonics. Her second album, Come Across the River removed the electronic atmospheres, replacing them with standard rock instrumentation augmented with cellos and the occasional odd instrument. It was a wise decision. Between album 1 and album 2, Duby lost the purity of her voice, and sang in lower register with a slight husk (reportedly, a bout with pneumonia caused the damage). Think Lynn Canfield of Area or Margo Timmins with more force. She opted to create moody indie rock ballads that were closer in spirit to such underdog sisters as Aimee Mann and Lisa Germano. The electronica is back in this album, and it meshes well with the template followed on CATR, and her songcraft has expanded. Like Mann, she writes pithy, catchy songs that explore bitterness and regret with wisdom. Her wounded voice gives her songs gravitas that her younger voice lacked. The spaciness of the electronic effects plays nicely against the driving, structured pieces. Highlights include "Gone Aground," with its swirling cello, "Listen" with its driving beat, and the catchy "Dullard, Or Are You A Breakfast Alcolholic". Duby has managed to make an album about depression that doesn't sound depressing."
Amazing voice
R. Airhart | Virginia | 08/02/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A beautiful voice that I was turned onto by an NPR review of her Post to Wire album. Favorite tracks on this album are "Still Rough" and "Over and Under Arrangements". Largely dark themes with great grooves."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1