Chicago Indie Rockers Ratboys Evolve on Latest Album

The band gets introspective on their sixth record, tackling heavier themes from troubled relationships to the current political climate.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Ratboys, the Chicago-based indie rock quartet, have released their sixth album "Singin' to an Empty Chair." The album features a similar twangy folk, pop-rock, and distortion sound to their previous record "The Window," which helped put the band on the map. However, the new album tackles heavier themes, including troubled relationships and the current political climate. The title refers to an exercise that singer and guitarist Julia Steiner started doing as she took up therapy to process an estranged relationship with a loved one.

Why it matters

Ratboys' evolution from their "country mouse" to "city rat" sound on "Singin' to an Empty Chair" reflects the band's growth and willingness to tackle more complex personal and societal issues in their music. The album showcases the band's ability to blend introspective lyrics with their signature indie rock sound, solidifying their place in the Chicago music scene and on the national stage.

The details

The new album features 11 tracks that showcase Ratboys' musical versatility, blending twangy folk, pop-rock, and distortion. The title track "Singin' to an Empty Chair" refers to an exercise that Steiner started doing in therapy to process an estranged relationship. Other songs, like "Open Up" and "Anywhere," tackle themes of troubled relationships and anxiety. The band also widens their perspective on tracks like "The World, So Madly" and "Burn It Down," which explore the current political climate. The album was produced by Chris Walla, co-founder of Death Cab for Cutie, and was recorded in both Wisconsin's Driftless Region and Chicago's Electrical Audio studio.

  • Ratboys formed at the University of Notre Dame in 2010.
  • In 2020, the band played at a Bernie Sanders rally in Iowa, which helped boost their profile.
  • Ratboys' latest album "Singin' to an Empty Chair" was released on February 6, 2026.

The players

Ratboys

A Chicago-based indie rock quartet consisting of singer and guitarist Julia Steiner, guitarist Dave Sagan, bassist Sean Neumann, and drummer Marcus Nuccio.

Chris Walla

The co-founder of Death Cab for Cutie, who produced Ratboys' latest album.

Steve Albini

The founder of Chicago's Electrical Audio studio, where Ratboys recorded part of their latest album.

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What they’re saying

“It gave me more precision and willingness to introspect and kind of understand myself a little bit better. It added more color and dimension to the experience of writing about what you know, which is the only thing I know how to do.”

— Julia Steiner, Singer and Guitarist, Ratboys (wbez.org)

“Beyond burning it all down and being left with absolutely nothing at the end, I'd rather be left with some sort of hope for something better.”

— Dave Sagan, Guitarist, Ratboys (wbez.org)

“Seeing the way his events are run, it's truly DIY punk. It feels really inspiring and pretty empowering thinking about what we might have the potential to do at our shows as far as making them spaces where people feel safe to talk about this stuff and come together and rally.”

— Julia Steiner, Singer and Guitarist, Ratboys (wbez.org)

What’s next

Ratboys plan to tour extensively in support of their new album "Singin' to an Empty Chair," with the goal of playing the new politically-charged song "Burn It Down" at as many shows as possible to "hammer it home."

The takeaway

Ratboys' evolution from their early "country mouse" sound to their more introspective and socially-conscious "city rat" persona on "Singin' to an Empty Chair" demonstrates the band's artistic growth and willingness to tackle complex personal and societal issues through their music. Their commitment to creating inclusive, community-minded live shows reflects the band's desire to use their platform to inspire positive change.