White Denim’s ’13’ Is a Restless, Groove-Heavy Patchwork (ALBUM REVIEW)

Coming on twenty into their run as one of Austin’s most consistently inventive rock bands, White Denim’s 13 feels less like a reset and more like a snapshot of everything they’ve learned how to do and how comfortably they can shift between those ideas. The band has always pulled from a wide range of influences, but here that approach is pushed even further. It’s a dense, groove-focused record that draws on rock, funk, soul, country, and more. The result is a record that moves quickly, sometimes abruptly, but rarely loses its footing.

“(God Created) Lock and Key” sets that tone early. The song shifts through a few different sections without warning, moving from tight, controlled guitar lines into looser, more unstable passages. It feels deliberate rather than chaotic, as if the band is testing how far they“White Denim’s 13 Is a Restless, Groove-Heavy Patchwork” can push it. That sense of movement carries into “Chew Nails,” which leans on a thicker, Southern-influenced groove, and then into “Only a Fool,” which feels a bit jazzy and synth-heavy. “Crossfyre” brings in a lighter, almost polished feel with clean guitars and a more relaxed tempo, while “Keep Calling Me (Baby)” follows with a tighter, rhythm-forward arrangement that leans on bass and drums to carry the track. “Earth To” stretches things out with a slower, more psychedelic, atmospheric approach, letting the instrumentation drift a bit. The shift into “Hired Hand #2” is one of the more abrupt turns on the record. The track is a bouncy, country-blues track with a strong hook that feels light on the surface, even as the lyrics dig into denial and self-justification. “Ruby” is one of the more straightforward songs here. The band locks into a single groove and lets it build, with rough-edged guitar tones and a steady rhythm section highlighting James Petralli’s strong vocals. “Matchbook Baby” brings in horns that highlight the southern-rock track that would feel at home on any White Denim album.

What stands out across 13 is how collaborative it feels. Even with James Petralli handling much of the writing and arranging, the contributions from the extended group of returning members, guest players, and longtime collaborators are easy to hear throughout. There’s a sense that these songs were shaped by multiple hands, which ties back into the album’s focus on community and creative connection. At the same time, that wide scope can work against the album’s cohesion. Some of the transitions feel abrupt, particularly in the middle run, and the pacing can be uneven as a result. But the trade-off is that the record rarely drags and creates a sense of anticipation for what is coming next.