Unglued Reviews

The Format’s second album Dog Problems is a charming indie-pop record. The band consists of the duo of Nate Ruess (vocals and synth) and Sam Means (piano, keyboard, guitars, etc), together with a bunch of session musicians who fill out the sound and complete the pair’s vision.

Matches is a subdued introduction with keyboard and Ruess’ hushed vocals, but I’m Actual brings the album vibrantly to life, the vocals ringing with clarity and the addition of horns and strings making the track swell fit to burst. Time Bomb’s smartly brittle guitar pop, uplifted by piano, comes on like Canada’s Sloan circa Between The Bridges – it might be slightly fey but it’s undeniably an effervescent highlight of a very likable album. She Doesn’t Get It is of nearly equal calibre, opening with potshots at MySpace tragics and brightened by swirls of synths and ringing notes.

Propelled by a rhythm that nods to disco, Pick Me Up continues the album’s pop-tastic credentials, while the title track is a toe-tapper that could be ripped from a Broadway musical. It begins with just piano but quickly incorporates horns and percussion as well as a downbeat string-laden breakdown.

The grandiloquent Inches And Falling’s opening declaration, “I love love, I love being in love”, doesn’t promise much, but the lyrics do get more interesting and prove to be quite infectious.

Not every track is as jaunty as the synths and soaring vocals of Oceans, or the rhythmic piano-driven Dead End (co-written with Linda Perry). In particular, Snails is gently pastoral and recalls some of XTC’s later work. But overall the album does sound disarmingly happy and chirpy (despite the recurring themes of lost love and failed relationships). It’s a winner!

Owen Heitmann