Surprise! Chicago indie-folk rockers Ratboys have just released a new album called Happy Birthday, Ratboy in celebration of their 10th anniversary as a band. Stream it below via Apple Music or Spotify.
Exactly a decade ago to the day, Ratboys released their debut EP for free on Bandcamp. It introduced them as an inventive group of musicians worth keeping an eye on, and since then Ratboys have gone on to record three standout LPs: 2015’s AOID, 2017’s GN, and 2020’s Printer’s Devil. As the fourth studio album in the band’s catalog, Happy Birthday, Ratboy is split into two sides; the first features new recordings of the five original Ratboy EP songs, and a second half has five new versions of rare college-era tracks.
That’s not all! There’s one totally brand new song on Happy Birthday, Ratboy. It’s called “Go Outside” and it sees the four piece doing what they do best: building a low key combination of indie rock, country vocals, and mellow yet catchy hooks. It’s a fun number written during quarantine, and they’re honoring it with a creative, collage-style lyric video. Watch that below.
Happy Birthday, Ratboy is currently available on CD, cassette, and four different vinyl pressings: glow-in-the-dark translucent, “birthday candles” yellow splatter, “funfetti cake” white, and “afterglow” maroon in black. Pre-orders for those are ongoing, and you can see the artwork and tracklist for them after the jump.
Editors’ Picks
The anniversary celebrations don’t stop there either. On April 29th, Ratboys will stream a one-of-a-kind concert with the full band on the floor of Schuba’s in Chicago, Illinois. Tickets are available to purchase at the band’s Bandcamp.
Happy Birthday, Ratboy Artwork:
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Happy Birthday, Ratboy by Ratboys album artwork cover art
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Happy Birthday, Ratboy by Ratboys album artwork cover art
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Happy Birthday, Ratboy Tracklist:
01. The Stanza
02. Down The River
03. Intense Judgment
04. Key
05. at 39 is Annie the Oldest Cat?
06. Space Blows
07. Collected
08. Cacao to Cacao
09. Have a Heart
10. 88 Fingers Edward
11. Go Outside
