The Format "Dog Problems" (Nettwerk)
By Kimberly Rosenbauer
Thursday. Jul 20, 12:50 AM
They did it again... now listen this time!

The Format have had quite a rocky adventure in the world of music since their inception in 2000… especially for being the best band you haven’t heard. Just try and get their sing-song melodies out of your head: just try! After being dropped by their record label twice, the group’s commitment to their music has been both respected by their fans and functioning as creative fuel for producing more and more gems.

On their second album (this time on their own Nettwerk imprint, Vanity), the Peoria, AZ-based group set out to continue their tradition of ‘60s-influenced pop music that will have your foot tapping in an instant while simultaneously singing about broken hearts… and broken record deals, you know, the usual.

Now that the band were able to write and record completely on their own terms, they had the opportunity to try some things that’ll differentiate Dog Problems from their first full-length, Interventions and Lullabies. Namely, full orchestration on six tracks and a few guest singers. For the most part, this independence has served them well, though a couple of songs like the title track seem very out of place. With circus-like melodies by trombones and clarinets, it resembles a Broadway show tune. Not what their fans might be used to, though respectably experimental.

What fans are used to, fortunately, does come through on the rest of the album, along with a little more sophistication. On the opener “Matches,” vocalist Nate Ruess’ emotional tenor voice cuts through immediately. New to the scene, however, are layers of musical goodness such as angelic “ooo”s and “ahhh”s, accompanying the orchestra (big violin swells and clarinet scales) with background harmonies that create and build an enormous emotional quality to the song.

Even though the duo shows early on in Dog Problems that they can be bold and different and better than the next band, the track “Pick Me Up” is an instant classic. The hooks! The hooks! The chorus, with its fast percussion beat and background bells, is incredibly catchy and radio ready: “She says she’s leavin’ on a Sunday / that leaves me one more night / can I take you home? / I know it’s wrong but I know your type.”

Another massive song on the album is “Snails.” The beat is very folk and Ruess’ voice is again perfectly matched and poignant as he sings “Snails see the benefits, the beauty in every inch / oh, why, why, why, why, oh why / you're quick to kiss baby, maybe, I spoke to soon I'll touch you once / you make the first move / snails see the benefits, the beauty in every inch.” Not your common metaphor, but according to the band it refers to “making the most of the time we have with our loved ones.” The harpsichord and strings in the background only help to make the song bigger and better.

The Format are a great band because of their ability to communicate with its listeners through simple yet distinctive melodies, heartfelt vocals, and lyrics that tell the tales of your life: heartache and other ubiquitous frustrations. But that was easily established in the band’s first album. What makes Dog Problems even better is that they did what so many bands are not able to figure out: they took everything that worked the first time around and pushed it to the next level. And this time they did it on their own terms.
www.theformat.com
www.nettwerk.com

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Kimberly Rosenbauer

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