AMG Review of Come Across the River

MacKenzie Wilson
All Music Guide

Seattle songbird Heather Duby has surely found her voice this time, with Come Across the River. Following up 1999's Post to Wire and 2001's electronic album Elemental, Duby dispels the uncertainty and preconceptions of those two records with a breathless kind of confidence as she approaches 30. The saying that the third time's a charm proves true here; she and producer Steve Fisk work with a template of electronic samples, pianos, and strings for an organic arrangement. The simplistic approach accentuates Duby's ethereal vocal style all the more, making Come Across the River her most daring set of songs. From the childlike loveliness of "Golden Syrup," to the vaudevillian "The Rare Vavoom," Duby's concentration on each individual song reflects her own personal and professional growth. Emotion is loaded, however Duby's not exclusively concerned with only feeling. A literary impression, whether it be romantic or humanistic or both, "Make Me Insomnia" and "Providence" are solid indications that Duby has truly found her place. Come Across the River metaphorically supports Heather Duby's rise beyond idealized expectations not only of critics, but of herself. She's made one of the finest albums of her career.