Ratboys

Ratboys are a four-piece indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois that formed in 2010. Initially comprised of Julia Steiner and David Sagan, they began in South Bend, Indiana before relocating to Chicago and rounding out their line-up as a full band. They've released five full-length albums, all through Topshelf Records. Before we get to the end-of-year stuff, I thought I should finally include this band, who put out one of my favourite albums of last year, and one I continually returned to throughout this year. 

It's criminal that it took so long to get to, especially since they're a Topshelf band whose name continually came up for years. The Window did not disappoint, with its country-tinged, jangly slacker rock sound, fuzzy lead guitars, and impeccable songwriting with monstrous hooks. From the loose jam of "Black Earth, WI", to the racous garage rock of "Crossed That Line", to the soaring vocals of the title track, this album is incredible. Exploring their back catalogue has also been a joy, as they've been incredibly consistent since the get-go, but I'm still mostly partial to The Window. So if you're like me and have been pushing checking this out off, don't. Enjoy.

Ratboy (2011)

1. The Stanza

2. Down The River

3. Intense Judgement

4. Key

5. A 39 Is Annie The Oldest Cat

6. Have A Heart

AOID (2015)

1. AOID

2. Tixis

3. MCMXIV

4. Charles BErnstein

5. Folk Song For JAzz

6. Postman Song

7. Our Mortician's Daughter

8. Bugs!

9. Pivotal Dates

10. And

Dowsing/Ratboys (2016)

1. Dowsing - Hold

2. Dowsing - Pass

3. Ratboys - Not Again

4. Ratboys - Light Pollution

GN (2017)

1. Molly

2. Elvis Is In The Freezer

3. Westside

4. Control

5. Crying About The Planets

6. Dangerous Visions

7. Wandered

8. GM

9. The Record

10. Peter The Wild Boy

GL (2018)

1. GL

2. You've Changed

3. Figure

4. After School

Printer's Devil (2020)
1. Alien With A Sleep Mask On

2. Look To

3. My Hands Grow

4. A Vision

5. Anj

6. I Go Out At Night

7. Victoriam Slumhouse

8. Clever Hans

9. Listening

10. Printer's Devil

Happy Birthday, Ratboy (2021)

1. The Stanza

2. Down The River

3. Intense Judgment

4. Key

5. At 39 Is Annie The Oldest Cat?

6. Space Blows

7. Collected

8. Cacao To Cacao

9. Have A Heart

10. 88 Fingers Edward

11. Go Outside

The Window (2023)

1. Making Noise For The Ones You Love

2. Morning Zoo

3. Crossed That Line

4. It's Alive!

5. No Way

6. The Window

7. Empty

8. Break

9. Black Earth, WI

10. I Want You (Fall 2010)

11. Bad Reaction

Bandcamp

Spotify

Apple Music

Website

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Midwest Pen Pals

Feel free to berate me for letting this go unposted for so long. Midwest Pen Pals were a three-piece emo/screamo band from South Bend, Indiana that were around in 2009. They're one of many bands that shared very similar members, with the others being Merchant Ships, William Bonney, Park Jefferson, you know who they are. Twinkly guitars and sad songs, it doesn't get much better than that. Midwest Pen Pals only ever released one EP, but it's gotten plenty of attention in the years following it. There was supposed to be a remaster in 2014, which was never officially released but leaked anyway. I have both the original 2009 version and the 2014 remaster below, so take your pick. The remaster definitely sounds better, plus has a bonus track, but I find it cool to hear the original recordings. Either or, enjoy.

Inside Jokes (2009)

1. Leaving Songs

2. Bobby Markos Posi Talk

3. My Castle, Your Castle

4. Austin's House

5. Because He's There, And He Hates Me

6. Movies Like Juno

Inside Jokes Remastered (2014)

1. Leaving Songs

2. Bobby Markos Posi Talk

3. My Castle, Your Castle

4. Austin's House

5. Because He's There, And He Hates Me

6. Movies Like Juno

7. A Kick Ass Life

Merchant Ships

Merchant Ships were an emo/screamo band from South Bend, Indiana and Sturgis, Michigan. Unfortunately, their tenure was plagued with inner turmoil. Despite this, they still managed to put out a decent amount of material in a relatively short amount of time. Merchant Ships began in July 2008, and broke up in May 2009. Within this time frame, they put out numerous EP's (I Want To Forget About Everything Bad That Ever Happened, Ever, Bummer Times Demo, and The LOL Cats Demo). They also put out a song ("Old Grey") on the Simple Days Compilation and a re-release of Bummer Times Demo with three additional songs in 2010. Upon their break-up, they released a compilation of most of their recorded work at the time, including IWTFAEBTEHE, the original version of Bummer Times Demo, "Old Grey", a new song titled "Something Paul Revere", and an early version of "Dying", which would later appear on For Cameron. It also included The LOL Cats Demo (with abbreviated names), but apparently the band isn't very fond of it, that's why most versions floating around the internet are without it. This compilation was titled SHIPSOGRAPHY. Merchant Ships reunited late 2009, possibly early 2010. In May 2010, they signed to Count Your Lucky Stars (THE emo label). They put out one thing on CYLS: For Cameron. After a tour, they broke up in July 2010. Members went on to form bands such as Midwest Pen Pals, Jefferson Park, and William Bonney.

Merchant Ships mix clean, noodly guitar playing reminiscent of bands such as Snowing and Algernon Cadwallader with the high-pitched intense screams of Raein and Saetia. Or something. Lots of gang-vocal sing-alongs too. Their earliest work features some pretty standard emo-y stuff, but as they progressed they began to explore more unique song structures and musical ideas. They integrated some experimental components in their music, such as spoken word in "My Journey To The Weed Den" or "Sleep Patterns". They've also got some kickass acoustic jams. Just good shit all around. Catchy as hell, but still very emotional songs, amazing lyrics, great guitar work; everything is just really solid and coated in awesomeness. Yeah.

Here's everything they did. I don't know if the artwork is real for The LOL Cats Demo, or if the artwork for Bummer Times Demo is for the three-song or six-song version. And sorry I couldn't find any artwork for "Old Grey". Ah well, enjoy.

The LOL Cats Demo (2008)

1. I Won That Jousting Match Because Of My Iron Horse

2. Drinkin' Music Is Better Than Sober Music

3. Long Term Relationships Were Only Cool When Divorce Wasn't

4. Hidden Track

I Want To Forget About Everything Bad That Ever Happened, Ever (2009)

1. My Journey To The Weed Den

2. We Don't Need Luck To Make It

3. The First Time I Got Fucked Up Was To The Party Song By Blink-182

4. Coffee, Hot Showers, And Hangover Jams

5. Long Term Relationships Were Only Cool When Divorce Wasn't

Simple Days Compilation (2009)

1. Old Grey

Bummer Times Demo (2009)

1. Birthday!

2. Let's Exchange Word Vomit

3. Emo Songs

Extra Songs (2010)

4. Birthday! (Acoustic)

5. If A Bear's Hungry (He Will Eat)

6. If A Bear's Hungry (He Will Eat) (Acoustic)

SHIPSOGRAPHY (2010)

1. My Journey To The Weed Den

2. We Don't Need Luck To Make It

3. The First Time I Got Fucked Up Was To The Party Song By Blink-182

4. Coffee, Hot Showers, And Hangover Jams

5. Long Term Relationships Were Only Cool When Divorce Wasn't

6. Old Grey

7. Birthday!

8. Let's Exchange Word Vomit

9. Emo Songs

10.  Something Paul Revere

11. Dying

For Cameron (2010)

1. Things Left In Last Year

2. Dying

3. Sentinel

4. Sleep Patterns

5. Good Weekend

6. Something That Matters