Album Review // Ratboys // Singin' to an Empty Chair

New West

4.5/5 stars

Ratboys have finally done it. While The Window and Happy Birthday Ratboy were spectacular albums in their own right (released in 2023 and 2021, respectively), Singin' to an Empty Chair truly reaches another level. From the first notes of "Open Up" you know you're in for a deeper, fuller listening experience. Flirting and dancing with tonal experimentalism while still framed in a catchy indie-pop lens, they've arrived at a nearly perfect synergy between accessibility and creativity. It's everything I want. Bitterly self-examining, confessional lyrics that are fun to sing along to, mixed with twistedly sculpted tones and short formalist excursions.  The first four tracks are almost unrelenting, a pulse-raising grouping of front-loaded, infectious energy. I had the vinyl release pre-ordered before they were even finished. While more traditional alt-country tunes like "Penny In the Lake" and "Strange Love" take them back to their roots a la Waxahatchee or Hop Along, it lets the listener re-attune to why they fell in love with the band in the first place. The brilliant working relationship between singer and guitarist Julia Steiner and lead guitarist Dave Sagan has never felt so mutual or adventurous. The album title is taken from Gestalt therapy, an exercise where participants direct their focus to an empty chair, representing a person or concept, and is intended to directly confront and uncover unfinished business – a perfect metaphor for Steiner's lyrical tendencies. From the frothing waves of its introduction to the rippling undulations of its midpoint, to the rushing tides of its conclusion, the album washes over the listener thoroughly.