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Jun 29, 2023 By Kat Ramkumar Photography by Alexa Viscius

Chicago indie rockers Ratboys have shared a music video for their latest song, “The Window,” which is the title track for their upcoming album. The Window is due out August 25 via Topshelf. The music video was directed by John TerEick. Watch the video below followed by the band’s upcoming tour dates.

Ratboys—composed of members Julia Steiner (guitar, vocals), Dave Sagan (guitar), Marcus Nuccio (drums), and Sean Neumann (bass)—ventured to Seattle to work with producer Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, Foxing) when making The Window. The album was almost fully crafted before heading into the studio, but Walla pushed the band to expand their vision, adding unexpected instruments such as rototoms, talkboxes, and fiddles.

Of “The Window,” Steiner says in a press release: “ I wrote this song a few days after the death of my grandma in June of 2020. 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.”

These melancholy themes of grief are present on the track as its wrenching and poignant lyrics are weaved in between lamentful guitar twangs and a stirring percussion.

Ratboys previously shared the song “It’s Alive” (which was #1 on our Songs of the Week list) and “Black Earth, WI”(which also made our Songs of the Week list).

Read our 2021 interview with Ratboys.

Ratboys 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

* =w/ Free Range
&=w/ Another Michael
^=w/ Ellis

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