LP – Limited Dinked Edition #391:

Black & yellow split vinyl *
Signed & hand-numbered A4 risograph art print *
25cm x 8cm bumper sticker *
Limited pressing of 500 *

* = EXCLUSIVE to Dinked Edition

13, the thirteenth album of White Denim‘s career, is an incandescent, grooveheavy alchemy of rock, funk, dub, soul and down-dirty blues – and plenty more besides – it’s imbued with the same questing spirit that’s been the band’s trademark since first starting in Austin, Texas, some 20 years ago.

Petralli‘s wide-ranging musical appetites have become more voracious over time. The sounds and textures of ‘13‘ are informed by everyone from Scritti Politti to The Gap Band, Terry Reid to King Tubby, Caetano Veloso to John Cale, Stevie Wonder to ’80s era Steve Winwood. Such diversity is reflected in multi- faceted gems like “(God Created) Lock And Key“, “Only A Fool” and “That’s Rap“.

Ive always wanted to make work thats a reflection of my life experience, says singer-guitarist James Petralli, leader of venturous L.A.-based rockers White Denim. The just-below-the-surface significance to 13 as an album title is that I was born on the thirteenth of August. 13 in numerology can signify independence, creativity, and a solid foundation, but inversely is often considered to be unlucky and can signify chaos and misfortune. Like everyone, I can certainly see both sides in my life.

The seed of the project is rooted in the irresistible Chew Nails. Its a straightforward glam-rock tune, says Petralli. My take on the New York Groove, which is itself a take on the Bo Diddley beat. It has a big ol guitar riff and a singalong chorus. Its familiar territory for me, yet the vocal is perhaps more forward than most things Ive done for the band. Its the song that made me feel like I was definitely making a White Denim album.

The duality of 13 is immediately apparent. The pungent funk-blues of opener (God Created) Lock And Key begins with a piece of waggish self-mythology On the thirteenth day God created White Denim but soon goes somewhere darker. This is a Beefheart / Sun Ra sort of thing, Petralli explains. I hope that its a somewhat terrifying, startling, and visceral piece for everyone that hears it. Everything I say in that song is the truth. It’s about power, generational cycles of abuse, shame, violence, and survival. The things that we all understand and know and see and push down to get through the day.

Elsewhere, the temperate Time Time heads into the kind of soulful, horn-gilded territory that earmarked White Denims previous album, 2024s critically lauded 12. Here, Petralli addresses the roll of the years, creative freedom and the importance of family: Its a sort of promise that, as long as Im alive, I will try to prioritise my wife and children and our relationships above all else. This is a key theme of 13. I felt that I had to write about my life and experience as a middle-aged dad trying to do better for a family and make sense of this life through making art, he adds.

A similar sensibility drives the fabulous Earth To, a hallucinatory piece of self-reflection that charts Petrallis journey thus far. Though, as ever with White Denim, it also speaks to the universal. If you zoom out a little bit, the song is ultimately a sort of takedown of the American dream, he says.

Then theres Keep Calling Me (Baby), which rides a fine line between dubby calypso and shimmery sunshine-pop. Petralli likens it to sort of Ace of Base meets Cyndi Lauper meets Roy Orbison in my mind. Nick Lowes Jesus Of Cool tells me its OK to do whatever you want. He gave me permission to do this one.

The song features band members Michael Hunter (keyboards) and Cat Clemons (guitar), alongside original drummer Josh Block, who, having also journeyed west from Texas in recent times, is now Petrallis neighbour. Blocks presence on 13 – alongside the likes of Matt Young (drums, percussion), Jesse Chandler (clarinet, sax, flute), Kosta Galanoupolis (bass), and Dawes siblings Griffin and Taylor Goldsmith highlights both the fluid nature of latter-day White Denim and Petrallis determination to honour the bands initial directive.Also aboard is fellow original, bassistSteve Terebecki.

I wouldnt call a project White Denim if it didn’t include significant contributions from another founding member of the group, asserts Petralli. 12 and 13 both feature Josh and Steve in various capacities. I recorded and arranged these last two records for the most part, but I really dont ever want to be alone. Music has given me a place and purpose in this world. And its been the primary way Ive connected with other people over the years.

13 proves that Petrali continues to do so. And in imperious style.

Tracklist:

Side A
1. (God Created) Lock and Key
2. Chew Nails
3. Only A Fool
4. TimeTime
5. Crossfyre
6. Keep Calling Me (Baby)

Side B
1. Earth To
2. That’s Rap
3. Hired Hand #2
4. Ruby
5. Matchbook Baby
6. Quiet Moment
7. Drive Trucks