Julia Steiner, lead singer of Chicago based band Ratboys, envisioned this new album as a way to communicate with someone she had become estranged from. Imagining them as an ‘empty chair’ she began to unravel her emotions in the songs, and the results are one of the most engaging albums of the year so far.
Ratboys sit nicely among the current crop of slightly country influenced indie artists like Waxahatchee and Wednesday, while also having lighter, more pop punk influences as well. This new album feels like it’s hitting at the right time, with those aforementioned artists out of the album cycle and fans eager to embrace their contemporaries.
A big influence on the band are fellow Chicagonans Wilco, and the first track ‘Open Up’ was directly written with them in mind. On the song we have the set up for the album – how to connect with someone you’ve lost touch with and how to bridge that gap. What’s key here is the line ‘I’m listening’ suggesting this isn’t intended to be a one way street. The sweetness of the singing contrasts nicely with the heavy, crunching guitars at the end of the song.
‘Know You Then’ takes us back in time to high school for a piece of pop punk nostalgia. The next song ‘Light Night Mountains All That’ has a similarly pulsating, catchy riff with the ‘you didn’t care’ refrain telling us everything about the problems in the relationship.
‘Anywhere’ is a catchy song about separation anxiety inspired by a dog having a panic attack. It works in the context of the other songs too, with the idea of being obsessed with someone to the point of damaging yourself. Kudos for adding the handclaps too.
‘Penny in the Lake’ has a nice alt-country tinge to the guitars, and this one reminded me of another blog favourite Lilly Hiatt in the delivery. Also nice to hear how the song ends with a little bit of love for the always underrated and underappreciated Ringo Starr.
‘Strange Love’ was inspired by Jenny Lewis and her singing style of making even the worst moments of your life sound beautiful. “World, So Madly’ sums up how we all have to exist right now, where trying to hold on to hope for a better future feels necessary but futile at the same time.
‘Just Want You To Know the Truth’ takes us back to that empty chair and family member who they’ve been struggling with. Listening here it sounds like it could be a father or brother, maybe although it really doesn’t matter since these songs are about that absence, that divide between people which resonates in many different relationships. The sad languid country tinge of this one is beautiful too.
What’s great about this album is the energy keeps up right through to the end. ‘What’s Right?’ is a blast while ‘Burn it Down’ is the most blistering sounding song on the album.
The album ends ‘At Peace in Hundred Acre Woods’ a place where friends are non-judgemental and content. Yes it’s inspired by Winnie the Pooh and somehow they get away with this level of twee because it feels true.
Before this album I’d never even listened to Ratboys because the band name put me off. ‘Singing to an Empty Chair’ is a nice reminder to always be open and non-judgemental because you never know what musical rewards might be in store. This album’s excellent songwriting will hopefully propel this great band to new heights.
BUY: https://ratboys.bandcamp.com/album/singin-to-an-empty-chair
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