Crazewire reviews Toilet Rats’ Black Cats album
The first review of Toilet Rats' Black Cats is in courtesy of German-language website Crazewire:
For several years, Tommy Ratz has been making his presence felt in the American indie electro-punk scene under the name Toilet Rats. The new album "Black Cats" is a wild berserker between pop, electroclash, and controlled chaos – driven by a clear political awareness.
At the center are the two lead singles "Heart Emoji MPLS" and "Shimmy." The former is a fantastic love letter to Minneapolis – the city that, since January 2026, has become known internationally for protests, police violence, and political tensions, but also for solidarity and mutual support. Tommy Ratz has written a tribute here to all those who helped each other while ICE terrorized the city. Together with Adam Goren (Atom and His Package), Andrew Cahak (Unstable Shapes), and other artists from Minneapolis, a formidable sing-along hit was created with unusually clean guitar work for Toilet Rats.
"Shimmy," on the other hand, is a toned-down dance number somewhere between The Cure and the regrettably underrated Say Hi here in this country. “'Shimmy' came about after I got through an illness and an operation. After my recovery, I just wanted to dance with my friends – even if we didn’t have particularly good moves,” explains Ratz. “Ultimately, it’s an uplifting earworm about looking out for your friends, because many people did exactly that for me.”
Just these two songs alone actually justify buying the album. At the same time, Tommy Ratz, who also performs live in a band format, still has some electronic bangers in his repertoire. While "Darkness" convinces as a dark dark-wave opener, "I Was A Teenage Exorcist" and "Crystal Lake (I Don’t Wanna Go To)" blast wonderfully old-school from the speakers. You have to like that – but it makes absolute sense in Toilet's universe.
"Even though Black Cats maintains its playful spirit," Ratz continues, "there are some vulnerable moments on the album inspired by how my community was there for each other in crucial situations – whether it was protecting our neighborhood during state violence or very personally, when I was dealing with a serious illness."
What is especially impressive is how effortlessly Tommy Ratz oscillates between the most diverse genres on Black Cats. "Utopia" is another extremely danceable song that many 1980s bands would have loved to write. With "I Wanna Live (Afterall)," The Wedding Present and early Britpop suddenly shimmer through. Again, the change in style is surprising – and above all, the quality of the songwriting. What a track, what a great and versatile album.