Review Summary: Who could forget dear Ratboys?
Ratboys are a 4-piece indie rock band from Chicago, and have been around for 15 years. I’ve never listened to them before
Singin’ To An Empty Chair, their 6th studio album, which is all the more surprising as their sound is right up my alley. Think Wednesday, Waxahatchee, Big Thief… this LP is a feast of well-composed, earnest, country-tinged tunes. Not a bad find, considering I only checked this out because I liked the band name.
Empty Chair’s tasteful entrée is “Open Up” and “Know You Then” – their simple but catchy melodies highlight Julia Steiner’s strong vocals, backed by the band’s fun harmonies. The lyrics are straightforward yet hard-hitting – if you find Wednesday’s songwriting to be a bit too specific, or Adrianne Lenker’s too poetic, Ratboys will be a comfortable midpoint. And in this context, “straightforward” is definitely a compliment – this isn’t a new genre, there’s a formula to winning indie rock and Ratboys know it well.
We then reach the delicious main course, with “Light Night Mountains All That” and “Anywhere”. The album is booted into gear with the former’s immediate chugging guitars, providing some timely forward momentum. It just rocks, and six minutes just breeze by; a track so long seldom feels so replayable. And then on “Anywhere”, the repeated, pop-punk-esque hook proves that Ratboys don’t take themselves too seriously. This band has fun! This band
is fun!
Singin’ To An Empty Chair offers up a delicious meal in just 4 tracks, and the rest of the album is just desserts. If you’re still here after track 4, you’ll be all in. Admittedly the album’s second half is slightly weaker overall, but there are still definite highlights – standout moments include the guitar solo in “Burn It Down” and the beautiful story told in the lyrics of the epic, 8-minute “Just Want You To Know The Truth” (lasagna mentioned!). On their 6th album, Ratboys don’t just nibble, they feast, and
Empty Chair proves they deserve their spot at modern indie’s dinner table.
