Dream River

Callahan began writing Dream River in August 2012, with the idea of a record you could listen to late at night, before bed. He said that unlike earlier albums, which he dreaded as a descent into the abyss, this time he wanted a life alongside the recording. Erik Wofford recorded it in January 2013, and Brian Beattie mixed it. Matt Kinsey played guitar, Jamie Zuverza bass and keyboards, and Thor Harris congas, clave and drums.

Pitchfork's Lindsay Zoladz called it a record about accepting the smallness of human life, noted that the only percussion was hand drums and brushes, and described Small Plane as a quiet miracle. Mojo called it his most beguiling album yet and named it the best album of 2013. It reached 44 on the UK Albums Chart, and Metacritic scores it 84.