Ratboys have long been cherished within the indie rock community, admired even by their own peers. This tuneful, generous-hearted Chicago quartet continued their streak of outstanding records with this year’s Singin’ To An Empty Chair, an album that pairs Julia Steiner’s most intimate lyrics yet with arrangements that show a band fully in command of its strengths.
A deluxe edition released today expands the set with cover versions of Empty Chair tracks by PUP, Ducks Ltd., Wild Pink, Bad Bad Hats, Free Range, and, in a welcome surprise, Kevin Morby. There’s also a Ratboys take on a Marked Men track, originally recorded for SiriusXM, which the band shared alongside their Tiny Desk appearance last week.
Today, together with the deluxe drop, we feature insights from all six artists who contributed Ratboys covers for the project.
PUP cut “Know You Then.” Frontman Stefan Babcock offered this reflections:
Ratboys are among our favorite bands. They’re wonderful people, and the songwriting is extraordinary. They’re one of those rare acts that makes playing music look effortless, easy, and joyful. Pulling that off well is incredibly hard. Take it from someone who’s been chasing that for over two decades.
Ducks Ltd., who tackled “Light Night Mountains All That,” shared the following:
We’re big fans of Ratboys! We toured with them a couple of years back, and it was probably the most fun we’ve ever had on the road. They’re a phenomenal band, they work incredibly hard, and they’re probably the nicest people in indie rock. It’s genuinely inspiring to see how they operate as a collective of thoughtful, devoted musicians who pour care and kindness into everything they do. Also, Sean once slapped me in the face with a quesadilla outside a Cook Out in North Carolina at 2 a.m.! We were honored to be asked to cover this song, and it was fascinating to dig into its intricacies. Julia sent us a video of her playing the chords, and it became clear how musically complex the track is while still feeling immediate. It’s a song with vast scope and emotional heft that still rocks, and it quietly feels like prog in disguise. It’s incredibly striking and feels like a perfect expression of the four of them as players.
Next up on the list is Bad Bad Hats’ interpretation of “Anywhere.” Kerry Alexander from the band comments:
Ratboys’ song “Anywhere” instantly won me over with its locomotive guitar work, bright vocal harmonies, and extra sing-along-worthy melodies. When we were asked to cover it, the element I clung to most tightly was Dave’s sly, off-kilter guitar motif. It became our eerie guiding light, leading us toward more swampy sonic depths. Our darker reimagining gave the lyrics a more menacing edge, which we enjoyed leaning into.
After performing “Strange Love,” Wild Pink’s John Ross offered this note:
Ratboys are among my favorite bands, and we’ve toured a lot together. I adore them and was glad to cover this song because it’s one of my favorites from their latest album. It’s a very short and sweet tune with a timeless feel, and it sounded great to record in a minimal way.
Free Range’s rendition of “What’s Right?” is accompanied by this tribute from Sofia Jensen:
ratboys are one of the most inspiring bands around right now in my opinion. they’ve consistently released incredible records, and somehow each new release surpasses the last. there are countless reasons to love this band, but Julia’s melodies are what always draws me in. her melodic sense is astonishing and she continually navigates the space between tension and release in a way that makes for masterful songwriting. songs like “what’s right?,” like so many of theirs, astonished me on first listen in a way I couldn’t shake. I’ll always return to this band.
Lastly, Kevin Morby recorded a voice memo of “Strange Love” and shared these thoughts:
I’ve admired Ratboys for a long time! Midwest heroes with a commendable work ethic. I was thrilled when they asked me to contribute to the deluxe edition of their great album. After receiving the invitation, I made my way up into the rafters of Union Transfer, where I played that evening in Philadelphia, and I captured the take just before the soundcheck.
Below, dive into all of this bonus material, though if you haven’t yet spent time with the main album, you’ll want to start there. We share the same sentiment as these respected artists: it’s one of the strongest song collections you’ll hear this year.
Singin’ To An Empty Chair (Deluxe) is available now on New West.
