The Window

The Window, may, in fact, be the band’s best yet. .... Ratboys showcase, over and over again, their considerable skill for making songs that are emotionally raw and sonically polished, intrinsically rootsy and invariably catchy.

From the upgraded sonics to the purity of each song’s message, The Window finds a band a dozen years in and still hitting their peak with each successive release. An utter joy.

She swoops and swoons and growls like Kristin Hersh but more country, and it’s worth a listen just to hear what she’ll do next.

On The Window, Ratboys reach their fullest potential, expanding and stretching their collaboration, continuing to explore their multi-faceted musical face. They have produced one of their best and most rewarding efforts thus far, and the catchiness of their songs will make listeners return gleefully if the tracks don’t stick to them during intermission.

The Window’s great gambit is to lean into them anyway, and it pays off spectacularly, heightening the thrills without sacrificing the amiability. What a pleasure it is hearing this charming little band show off.

Through no fault of their own, some their more twangy performances don't sound too distinguishable from like-minded acts Wednesday and Big Thief. Bad timing, perhaps. But these quibbles don't detract from Ratboys' refined ebullience, glistening with an authenticity that sounds even better when you add the Chris Walla effect of making music sound irresistibly bittersweet.

The Window finds Ratboys deservedly taking a confident step into a space they carved out for themselves.

The Window is indicative of a newfound assuredness for a band which itself has stretched from a two-piece to a full foursome.

The resulting 11-song set, The Window, is a volatile one that continues a gradual shift in balance toward harsher guitar tones and more energy without shunning the ambling, jangly alt-country that has co-existed with the band's Breeders-revering alt-rock side since their full-length debut.