Dog Problems is the 2nd release from Phoenix, Arizona based band The Format. Their debut, Interventions and Lullabies, was an infectious, albeit inconsistent, album and I was excited about the potential of subsequent releases. If you heard me mention The Format in the past few months it was probably under the guise of “These guys are bout to blow up!” In fact, they were even featured on an episode of My Super Sweet Sixteen. We won’t ask how I know that… So have The Format fixed the inconsistencies of their debut, with a pop-rock hook filled effort readying the band for world conquest? Yes and no.

Dog Problems is as diverse as and far more consistent than Interventions and Lullabies. Songs naturally flow from one to the next, avoiding some of the stark transitions of their debut. While this was the one glaring problem from their first release it cannot fix Dog Problems. While by no means bad, the album turns the band in a very strange direction. Trading in guitar/drum driven songs for a jingle-jangle piano and full choral backing vocals turns the album into a strange pop-rock carnival. Many songs feature harps, video-game-synthesizers, a full band, and, in “She Doesn’t Get It,” church bells. This might be the biggest missed opportunity on the release. This song was previously released on an acoustic e.p. and the stripped down version is much more entertaining. On the album version instead of singing along I felt like I was a Who down in Whoville, gathering around the center of town to sing about how wonderful Christmas was even without the presents. And we all know that’s a bunch of crap.

Don’t get me wrong this is a good album, it just could have been better with the realization that sometimes less is more. While it might not be the path to grand critical acclaim, a strong hook filled release is an accomplishment in itself and fills a void in almost every music lover’s heart. I must revert to the same conclusions I had after hearing Interventions and Lullabies: once The Format figure it out they’re gonna blow up.

Check out: Oceans, The Compromise, She Doesn’t Get it

Overall Grade: B
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- Brian B.