Ratboys are back with a brand-new single, “Anywhere,” the first taste of their upcoming album Singin’ to an Empty Chair, out February 6, 2026 via New West Records. The Chicago indie-rock lifers—Julia Steiner, Dave Sagan, Marcus Nuccio, and Sean Neumann—sound more self-assured and emotionally sharp than ever, turning therapy sessions and restless energy into vibrant, twangy rock built for late-night drives and heart-to-hearts.
The record takes its name from the “Empty Chair” exercise in therapy, where you speak to someone who isn’t in the room. For Steiner, that someone is a close loved one she’s drifted apart from. Instead of melancholy, though, she turns that space into a collection of songs that wrestle with connection, memory, and hope. It’s deeply personal but still packed with humor and heart—case in point, “Anywhere,” inspired by the anxious attachment of Sagan’s family dog.
The new video, directed by Bobby Butterscotch, is a clever visual metaphor: shots of the band tearing through their set in a Chicago fish store collide with a goldfish-owning protagonist on a city adventure. It’s pure Ratboys—playful, slightly weird, and full of soul.
Singin’ to an Empty Chair reunites the band with producer Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie), who helped shape 2023’s The Window. Recorded between a Wisconsin cabin, Electrical Audio, and Rosebud Studio, the album captures Ratboys at their most confident and collaborative—like a quilt stitched from every emotional corner of their lives.
Pre-order + pre-save the new album ‘Singin’ to an Empty Chair’ here: http://newwst.com/singin
Catch them on tour in early 2026.
Tour Dates:
Wed. Feb. 25 – Detroit, MI @ El Club
Thu. Feb. 26 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
Fri. Feb. 27 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB
Sat. Feb. 28 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Tue. March 3 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
Thu. March 5 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
Fri. March 6 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Sat. March 7 – Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry
Sun. March 8 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
Tue. March 10 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
Wed. March 11 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
Thu. March 12 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement East
Fri. March 13 – Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
Sat. March 14 – Milwaukee, WI @ Vivarium
Tue. March 24 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
Wed. March 25 – Kansas City, MO @ recordBar
Thu. March 26 – Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge
Fri. March 27 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
Sat. March 28 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk
Mon. March 30 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
Tue. March 31 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
Wed. April 1 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
Fri. April 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Sat. April 4 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall
Mon. April 6 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
Tue. April 7 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
Wed. April 8 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
Fri. April 10 – Boise, ID @ Shrine Social Club
Sat. April 11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Urban Lounge
Mon. April 13 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
Wed. April 15 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
Thu. April 16 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
Fri. April 17 – Madison, WI @ Atwood Music Hall
Sat. April 18 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
(w/ Florry, villagerrr, and Free Range on select dates)
The Fire Note is an independent-music website that mixes record-store culture with lively, opinionated music journalism. It publishes: Album reviews and features – Covering indie-rock, punk, folk, experimental music, and underground scenes.




