When you see the names of Roger Joseph Manning, Jr.(Jellyfish) and Steve McDonald(Redd Kross) appearing as guest musicians all over an album, you know it just is not going to suck and be pretty appealing to the Not Lame sensibility. Every great power pop band is all about two things: meaty melodies and oo-la-la choruses, and there`s no disbelieving that this Phoenix band have the formula nailed on their sophomore album. Produced by a master of the genre (Steve McDonald, founding member of Redd Kross), the 12-tracker advances the Format`s debut album by sandblasting pocketfuls of hooks and poetic prose into the consciousness. Band leaders Nate Ruess and Sam Means progress like a modern day Colin Blunstone/Rod Argent, zigzagging Zombies-like through a piano-led, choral-like pool of tuneful experimentation and falsetto intonation. The band make it almost too easy to pick out potential radio gems, which include up-tempo numbers like "Time Bomb" and "She Doesn`t Get It," and especially "Oceans," with its glee club chorus that`s downright impossible to shake. But Dog Problems must be heard as a whole to appreciate the dexterous brilliance of Means and Ruess, who apply a `20s dancehall vibe to the title track, turn the narcissistic "I`m Actual" into an Abbey Road waltz, and even flirt with country music in the discreet "Snails." Like the Zombies, the Raspberries, Dwight Twilley, or the Shins? Yup. "4 stars..The immaculately conceived arrangements - from dead-ahead piano pop to Queen-like orchestral flair-come to vivid life with singer Nate Ruess` acerbic, spot-on witticisms. Pitch perfect indie power pop for those who are eagerly awaiting the next record from The Shins!"-Spin. "4 1/2 stars.. Tired of lamenting the split from a significant other locked in a dark room with Bright Eyes on repeat? Ready to turn that pain into a joyous singalong outside under the bright sun? Lucky for you, Arizona`s the Format -- barely appearing phased at being dropped by Atlantic in 2005 -- have arrived with their self-released sophomore full-length, Dog Problems. Sure the album is mostly about singer Nate Ruess` most recent breakup and subsequent broken heart, but seriously, it`s hands-down the feel-good album of the summer. After all, the heartache-induced lyrics of sarcasm and bitterness are in direct contrast to the sonic warmth emanating from every note-filled corner. Deftly elaborating on the sweet indie pop affair of 2003`s Interventions and Lullabies, the guys have moved past straightforward ditties to craft songs that incorporate a wide range of instruments, tones, and occasionally, full-on orchestrations. "Time Bomb" immediately launches forth with exuberant vocal harmonies before the key-dancing chorus boogies to the front; the ironically catchy "The Compromise" -- which is the defiant result of Atlantic asking for a pop hit -- can be called radio-friendly in the best sense of the term. From a whimsical, carnival-esque air that appears sporadically throughout, the Format mix in horn sections, piano, banjo, handclaps and pretty much whatever else was lying around the studio when recording commenced. But every element is cleanly pulled off with such effortless charm, grace, and style that the songs in no way feel bogged down under the weight of the bands` ambition. The music never sounds forced or like the band is simply trying to be different through gimmicks; they`ve just matured into a new skin that fits as delightfully as their old. The Format were already showing obvious signs of being unable to write a bad song on Lullabies, but Dog Problems simply glows from beginning to end. It`s like the music (both the gentle songs and high-energy ones) just can`t help being fun and catchy, even if for some reason it didn`t want to. The Format skirts cheesiness and clich? trappings by simply knowing how to make likable pop music that is entertaining and smart -- and they`ve absolutely never sounded better. "-AMG.
 She Doesn`t Get It - mp3
Time Bomb - mp3
Pick Me Up - mp3
Inches and Falling - mp3
The Compromise - mp3 |
