After two extended plays and significant early radio support from BBC Introducing, the band signed to Transgressive Records in 2010.

Paul Lester compared them in The Guardian to fellow Londoners Mumford & Sons, commenting that the group "offer a glimpse of the pastoral with their infectious semi-acoustic ditties".

[4] The band recorded their debut album, Shallow Bed in the United States in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with producer Peter Katis.

[8] In February 2014, Dry the River announced on their Facebook page that violinist William Harvey had departed the band in order to pursue other projects.

They contributed a cover of a Metric song, "Satellite Mind", for the compilation album Good People Rock which was released on 14 April 2015.