13 Rivers was written after a period of difficulty for Thompson's family[1][2] with songs that stick "close to a vision of darkness, gloom, and noise".

[3] Thompson explains that the songs were written in a "fairly tight time period of about six months", giving them a sense of commonality.

[11] The album received generally favourable reviews from the press,[15] with it being described as "brilliant" and "engaging" by PopMatters who stated that 13 Rivers was "a raw, unfiltered affair from a veteran artist who shows no signs of slowing down".

[7] The Irish Times agreed that "the tone is ominous from the get-go"[14]" and Mojo wrote that "this may be Richard Thompson's most creative album in decades" describing the record as being "driven along by a renewed sense of urgency and purpose".

[8] AllMusic wrote that "Thompson's vocals are superb throughout" claiming that "13 Rivers is striking music from a musician who remains fresh, contemporary, and peerless".