Ratboys Debut “The Window” Video

Ratboys have released a new video For "The Window". The title-track is off the Chicago band's forthcoming release, available August 25th

Ratboys photo by Alexa Viscius

Ratboys have shared a new video for title track from their forthcoming album The Window, out August 25th via Topshelf. Lyrically, the album sees songwriter Julia Steiner at her most personal, reflecting on love and grief with occasional humor and levity. She frequently leans on windows as a theme—the idea of an interrupted connection, the feeling of being near someone without being fully present. Throughout the title track, the window is literal.

“I wrote this song a few days after the death of my grandma in June of 2020,” Steiner explains. “She didn’t have covid, but because of the pandemic my grandpa wasn’t able to visit her in person at the nursing home to say goodbye. He ended up standing outside her room and saying goodbye through an open window. A lot of the lyrics are direct quotes of things he said to her in those final moments.” The accompanying video, directed by John TerEick, is cinematic and echoes the nostalgic and bittersweet themes of the song.

Throughout the last few years, Sean Neumann (bass) and Marcus Nuccio (drums) became full-time members alongside Steiner (vocals, guitar) and Dave Sagan (guitars), making The Window the first album Ratboys have written collaboratively from start to finish. It was also the first time they’d ever traveled outside their home base of Chicago to record an album, journeying to Seattle to work with producer Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, Foxing) for three weeks.

The sessions struck the perfect balance between preparation and experimentation. Walla’s studio sensibilities pushed Ratboys to stretch and expand their vision, adding unexpected elements and instruments like rototoms, talkboxes, and fiddles. Hunting for sonic inspiration, Walla and the band sometimes spent hours just listening to their favorite albums, spinning everything from Sloan to Brainiac to The Roches. The resulting album is sonically diverse, shifting wildly from track to track and flexing everything from fuzzy power pop choruses to warm country twang to mournful folk.

Ratboys 2023 Tour Dates

Fri. Aug. 25 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern – SOLD OUT
Thu. Sep. 21 – Champaign-Urbana, IL @ Pygmalion Festival
Fri. Sep. 22 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe *
Sat. Sep. 23 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd *
Tue. Sep. 26 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s *
Wed. Sep. 27 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *
Thu. Sep. 28 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall *
Fri. Sep. 29 – Montreal, QC @ POP Montreal ^
Sat. Sep. 30 – Toronto, ON @ Monarch Tavern ^
Mon. Oct. 2 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Bottlerocket Social Hall *
Tue. Oct. 3 – Cleveland, OH @ No Class *
Wed. Oct. 4 – Ferndale, MI @ Magic Bag *
Fri. Oct. 6 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club *
Sat. Oct. 7 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Back Room at Colectivo Coffee *
Thu. Oct. 19 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb &
Sat. Oct. 21 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall &
Sun. Oct. 22 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court &
Tue. Oct. 24 – Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s &
Wed. Oct. 25 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios &
Fri. Oct. 27 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe du Nord &
Sat. Oct. 28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room Highland Park &
Sun. Oct. 29 – San Diego, CA @ The Loft at UC San Diego &
Mon. Oct. 30 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room &
Tue. Oct. 31 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar &
Thu. Nov. 2 – San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger &
Fri. Nov. 3 – Austin, TX @ Empire Control Room & Garage &
Sat. Nov. 4 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada &
Fri. Dec. 22 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall – NEW SHOW