"Singin’ to an Empty Chair" emerges as the follow-up to the band’s critically acclaimed 2023 album The Window, which earned strong reviews and helped raise the band’s profile within the indie rock arena. This new album also marks their first fully released through New West, a move that aligns with their evolving voice and ambition.
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| Ratboys (Image source: Instagram) |
From the outset, the band has signalled a creative leap. For this album they teamed again with producer Chris Walla, formerly of "Death Cab for Cutie", who also worked with the band on The Window, and they adopted a unique recording process. Songs were conceived and tracked across diverse locations: a cabin on a 75-acre property in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, Chicago’s revered Electrical Audio studio and Rosebud Studio in Evanston, Illinois. The intention, according to the band’s press materials, was to record “like a quilt” — each song composed of pieces gathered from varying environments, capturing a layered sense of space and story.
The album’s subtitle and central motif draw from psychotherapy: Steiner used the “Empty Chair” technique as a means to explore and articulate communication with someone from whom she has become estranged. That emotional terrain—part reconciliation, part longing, part introspection—forms the core narrative thread of the album. The tracklist includes eleven songs:
Singin’ to an Empty Chair
1 Open Up
2 Know You Then
3 Light Night Mountains All That
4 Anywhere
5 Penny in the Lake
6 Strange Love
7 The World, So Madly
8 Just Want You to Know the Truth
9 What’s Right?
10 Burn It Down
11 At Peace in the Hundred Acre Wood
“Anywhere,” the lead single, serves as a glimpse of the soundscape the band is exploring—rooted in their indie-rock foundation but polished with pop-rock clarity and emotional resonance. The music video for the track was directed by Bobby Butterscotch. With this release, the band also offers a glimpse of their evolving aesthetic: while remaining grounded in guitar-based songwriting, their ambition and sonic palette are broadening.
In terms of touring and promotion, the band has announced a North American tour with a start date of February 25, 2026 in Detroit, running into mid-April. Prior to that, they will perform at European festivals in late 2025, including an appearance at the Pitchfork Music Festival London. These plans showcase the band’s intent to broaden their reach and capitalise on momentum built post-The Window.
What does this all mean in the broader indie rock landscape? Ratboys are one of a number of bands bridging the gap between underground cred and wider recognition. With previous LPs gaining traction among critics and key outlets, this new phase suggests they are consolidating their voice. The fact that Walla remains in the producer’s chair indicates continuity but also signals ambition: the band is not reinventing themselves from scratch, but pushing into new territories—both emotionally and sonically. Their recording approach of shifting environments suggests a band comfortable in experimenting, comfortable in layering texture over raw songwriting.
While chart numbers for "Singin’ to an Empty Chair" and “Anywhere” are not yet available, the context of the announcement is telling. It underlines the band’s dedication to concept and craftsmanship rather than chasing instant hits. For listeners, it promises a record steeped in the kind of relatable emotional work that resonates in the age of therapy-culture and earnest indie expression.
In short, Ratboys’ latest move sets the stage for a meaningful moment in their career. With a February 2026 release date, a lead single in circulation, a robust tour ahead, and a concept rooted in introspection, Singin’ to an Empty Chair may well be the album that widens the band’s audience while satisfying existing fans craving depth and authenticity.
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