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Dog Problems is the second studio album by American rock band the Format, released on July 11, 2006, through their own label The Vanity Label. Following the release of their debut studio album, Interventions + Lullabies (2003), the band were moved from Elektra Records to Atlantic Records, who were unable to promote them. They left the label in late 2005; the band recorded their next album with producer Steven McDonald in Los Angeles, California. Dog Problems is an indie pop, indie rock and power pop album that has been compared to the work of the Cars, Ben Folds and Jimmy Eat World.

Dog Problems
Studio album by the Format
Released	July 11, 2006
Genre	Indie pop indie rock power pop
Length	47:16
Label	The Vanity Label
Producer	Steven McDonald
The Format chronology
Snails (2005) Dog Problems (2006) And Now I Hope You're Alright – Live in California (2006)
Singles from Dog Problems
"The Compromise" Released: July 18, 2006 "Time Bomb" Released: October 17, 2006 "She Doesn't Get It" Released: March 6, 2007

Dog Problems received generally favourable reviews from critics, many of whom praised the musicianship and songwriting. Retrospective reviews held up this view, noting comparisons to the work of Fun. The album peaked at number 84 on the United States Billboard 200 chart, selling 13,000 in its first week. "The Compromise" was released as the album's lead single in July 2006, around which, the band went on a headlining US tour. Stints in the United Kingdom and the US with the All-American Rejects followed, and "Time Bomb" was released as the second single from the album' in October 2006. "She Doesn't Get It" was released as the final single in March 2007, which was later promoted with a three-month long US tour.

Background and recording

The Format released their debut studio album Interventions + Lullabies, through Elektra Records in October 2003.[1] In March 2004, Elektra was absorbed into Warner Bros. Records, which saw the band moved to Atlantic Records.[2][3] While this was occurring, the band were in the midst of supporting Yellowcard and Something Corporate on their co-headlining tour of the United States.[4] Over the next three months, the band appeared on the Honda Civic Tour and went on headlining West Coast and Midwestern tours.[5][6] They ended the year touring the US with Switchfoot and the Honorary Title.[7] Atlantic Records had no success in promoting the Format, resulting in legal situations.[2]

In April 2005, the band supported Jimmy Eat World and Taking Back Sunday on their co-headlining US tour; to coincide with this, the Format released the Snails EP.[8] By July 2005, they were in the midst of recording demos and were aiming to find a producer shortly afterwards.[9] Ruess said when the company listened to the band's new demos, they "didn't hear a single"; they asked the label repeated to drop them from the roster.[10] Ruess planned to make their next album a concept album about his five-year-long relationship coming to its end, but this was dropped as he was "still in the relationship and it was still going bad and I couldn't get out of it".[11] As the band were making preparations to record their next album, Atlantic eventually dropped them.[12] On November 30, 2005, the Format publicly announced their departure from the label.[13]

Dog Problems was produced by Steven McDonald, who was assisted by engineer Ken Sluiter, and recorded over two months in Los Angeles, California.[14][15] Their workdays consisted of 12 hours per day, six days a week.[15] Throughout the recording process, Ruess frequently apologised to his partner, going as far to make a "conscious effort to call her and say, 'I don't want you to take offense to this. It's just where I was at the time. I forgive you as much as I can.'"[11] Sluiter mixed "I'm Actual", "Time Bomb" and "Pick Me Up", while the remainder were mixed by Tom Rothrock; Mike Tarantino served as mixing engineer. Don Taylor then mastered the album at Precision Mastering.[14] "Snails" was re-recorded during the sessions; Ruess said the original EP version was recorded on a strict timeframe and as a result, they were unable to give the song enough attention. They had wanted to include a children's choir, but this was left out when they ran out of time during the new album version.[16]

Composition and lyrics

Music and themes

Musically, the sound of the album has been described as indie pop, indie rock and power pop, drawing comparisons to the work of the Cars, Cake, Eels, Ben Folds, Jimmy Eat World, and the Talking Heads.[17] Ruess cited Skylarking (1986) by XTC as the biggest influence for him on the album, as he explained: "That record made me feel like it was okay to make a pop record that was a little weird at times, but something sunny was tying it all together". For Means, his inspiration was Nilsson Sings Newman (1970) by Harry Nilsson, as Ruess said it had "so many great standardish songs". In addition to this, the Beatles and the Zombies were also cited as influences; the pair would listen to "You're the Inspiration" (1984) by Chicago while traveling to the studio every day.[12][16] In a 2012 interview, Ruess said there was a "level of insecurity that I had. I would try and apologize for writing a pop song by giving it a bridge that was four minutes long or changing keys 90 different times".[18]

AllMusic reviewer Corey Apar wrote that there was a "whimsical, carnival-esque air that appears sporadically throughout" the album as the band "mix in horn sections, piano, banjo, handclaps and pretty much whatever else was lying around the studio".[19] IGN writer Chad Grischow felt that the band bounce between a "soulful and reflective pair, begging comparisons to old Beach Boys, while at other times they dazzle with danceable beats and dangerously addictive soaring emo hooks", evoking Jimmy Eat World.[20] PopMatters contributor Winston Kung said that across the album's songs, Ruess "discusses corporate rock magazines, moving to the [country] Ukraine, and one dysfunctional girlfriend in particular who seems to have eviscerated his heart".[21] The melody for some songs, such as "I'm Actual" and "Dog Problems", came about from when Ruess would be sat at home or out driving. In this instances, he would repeat the melodies to Means, who would then work out the chord progressions.[16] From here, Ruess took lyrics from a notebook he had and worked them around the melodies.[22]

Means and Ruess were supplemented by a variety of additional musicians for every song on Dog Problems. Cello, violin, viola, French horn, clarinet, sax, trumpet, trombone and tuba instrumentation is heard throughout the album. Some musicians appeared on select songs: Mike Schey of the Honorary Title played guitar on over half of the album, while Josh Klinghoffer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers played it on three of the songs. Don Raymond Jr. contributed bass to over half the album, while McDonald played it on three of the songs. John O'Riley of Blue Öyster Cult performed drums and percussion on the majority of the album, as Joey Waronker played them on "Dead End" and "Inches and Falling", and percussion on "Matches". Roger Manning Jr. came up with the orchestral arrangements for three of the songs, and played a Wurlitzer on "Time Bomb" and a harpsichord on "Snails". Similarly, Anna Waronker arranged and sung vocals on "I'm Actual", "Time Bomb", and "Dead End". Aaron Wendt of Tickertape Parade added doppler to "Pick Me Up" and noise to "Oceans". A collective known as The Hobocamp Choir sung gang vocals on "Dog Problems", "Oceans" and "Inches and Falling", as well as performed clapping on "Oceans".[14]

Tracks

Discussing the album's title and the song "Dog Problems", Ruess explained he was in a relationship where "every single time we thought that maybe we were going to break up, we'd try to save the relationship by getting a dog".[11][22] The album's opening song, "Matches", is a slow-tempo track with a carnival-esque sound and a loose arrangement of chimes and a keyboard.[20][23] It segues into "I'm Actual" which is an orchestral waltz; Merry-Go-Round Magazine writer Aya Lehman said Ruess asks for an "hour of reeling in the remains of a breakup, how the effects of said breakup come in waves, [and] the neverending desperation to talk about said breakup".[20][23][24] "Time Bomb" is a dance-rock and power pop track that married drums and a piano against a disco beat; it details a self-destructive woman who self-harms by the song's end.[20][21][25] The track evolved out of an occasion where Means and Ruess tried to recall an older, unrelated song. Ruess came up with the melody and lyrics on the same day they recorded a demo of it. [16] The surf rock song "She Doesn't Get It" discusses casual sex, and includes a reference to Duran Duran.[23][25]

"Dog Problems" opens with a Dixieland jazz atmosphere, and describes a having a broken heart, accompanied by bar piano and horns.[20][26] Kung said the track serves as both a "circus song and a cutting portrait of a bitch, with a run-through of the alphabet to boot".[21] Sputnikmusic staff writer Knott said Ruess spelled out "B-E-C-C-A before he realises that he's spelling 'because' wrong and his thoughts have slipped back onto his presumed ex-girlfriend".[27] The pop rock track "Oceans" recalled the work of the Beach Boys; Merry-Go-Round Magazine founder CJ Simpson wrote that "Dead End" felt like a "massive post-intermission number of a happy-go-lucky musical".[24][26] "Snails" is a folk song that uses the creatures of the same name as a metaphor for loving one's life.[20] The guitar playing in it was reminiscent of the style played by Paul McCartney in "Blackbird" (1968) by the Beatles.[15] "The Compromise" came about from Atlantic asking the band for a hit-sounding song.[19] Ruess said it "written because we were dropped, but in an attempt to get dropped from our label. [...] we gave them something catchy – only it was about (our experiences with) them".[22] "Inches and Falling" is a twee track that Grischow said was an "emphatic plea for love, despite the potential for emotional destruction".[20][24] The album's closing song, "If Work Permits", recalls the work of the Strokes; over the course of its runtime, the song switches from a ballad to a glam rock song.[21][24][28]

Release

The Format supported Motion City Soundtrack in March and April 2006.[29] A few weeks from the album's release, it had leaked online, which prompted them to sell it early digitally.[12] This version was available through The Nettwork's online store. Ruess wrote a long-form piece on what they went through to make the album and why listeners should not pirate it.[30] When it leaked, Ruess did not have the finished masters, resulting in him buying the download version show his parents.[16] Dog Problems was made available for streaming through AOL Music on July 10, 2006, before being released the following day on The Vanity Label, the Format's own record label, with distribution through Sony BMG.[2][31][32] Describing the label, Ruess said it was done through their management company, "we have to put up the dough for a lot of things, but it's definitely worth it".[22] A release show was held at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 14, 2006, where the band performed the album in its entirety.[15]

"The Compromise" was released to radio on July 18, 2006; that same month, a music video was filmed for the song.[16][33] It was filmed over four hours and features origami.[11] In July and August, the band went on a summer tour with support from Rainer Maria and Anathallo.[34] The Format's touring line-up was augmented by Wendt and members of Anathallo.[15] They took a week-long break in September before touring the UK with the All-American Rejects for two weeks.[30] "Time Bomb" was released to radio on October 17, 2006; the seven-inch vinyl version included a cover of "Glutton of Sympathy" (1993) by Jellyfish as its B-side.[33][35] A week later, the And Now I Hope You're Alright – Live in California live EP was released, featuring versions of "Matches", "Dog Problems", and "Inches and Falling".[36] From late October to mid December 2006, the band supported The All-American Rejects on their Tournado 2006 tour, which included an appearance at the CMJ Festival.[37][38]

On November 20, 2006, a music video was released for "Dog Problems". The staff at Spin wrote that it features hands; they explained that the "forefinger protagonist [... is seen] doing the things a normal human would do: Singing to his cheating lover, wandering neon-lit streets somberly, perusing MySpace, smoking himself to sleep, and, um, fantasizing over a mannequin's perfect hand".[39] "She Doesn't Get It" was released radio on March 6, 2007; its music video was directed by Travis Kopach.[40][41] On June 14, the band performed Dog Problems in its entirety the at Mayan Theater in Los Angeles, which was filmed for a potential DVD release. In June 2007, the album was released as a free download over a three-week period.[42] Ruess explained that the group knew that "kids aren't buying music. We're going to see if we can't pick up 20,000 new sets of ears by offering the album for free."[43] Following this, the band went on a three month headlining tour across the US. They were supported on various dates by Mike Birbiglia, Limbeck, Steel Train, Reuben's Accomplice, the Honorary Title, Ollie Wilde and Piebald.[43] The band released the video album Live at the Mayan Theatre on November 13, 2007, consisting of songs from their two albums.[44] In February 2008, the band announced they were breaking up.[45]

Dog Problems was initially released as a single LP in 2006, but was later split across two discs for its 2014 re-press, with a die-cut jacket and an etching of a dog bowl on the D-side.[46][47] The latter version was subsequently re-pressed in 2016 and 2020; the album was released on cassette in 2022 as a joint release between The Vanity Label and Means' label Hello Records.[48][49][50] Demos of "I'm Actual", "Time Bomb", "Dead End", and "If Work Permits", alongside an acoustic version of "Matches", were included on the band's sole compilation album, B-Sides and Rarities (2007).[51] The "Time Bomb" and "If Work Permits" were later featured on the Kenneth Room Sessions EP, which also contained demos of "She's Doesn't Get It", "Pick Me Up", "Oceans", "The Compromise", and "Inches and Falling".[52] The Dog Problems portion of the Live at the Mayan Theatre video album was released as its own live album in 2020, under the name Live at the Mayan Theatre: Dog Problems.[53]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AbsolutePunk	95%[23]
AllMusic	[19]
Alternative Press	4/5[54]
The A.V. Club	B+[55]
Chicago Tribune	3/5[56]
IGN	8.9/10[20]
Melodic	[57]
No Ripchord	7/10[58]
PopMatters	7/10[21]
Spin	[59]

Dog Problems was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. AbsolutePunk founder Jason Tate wrote that the first five tracks "impact with their hooks and choruses, it's the next 7 that make the album an almost instant classic".[23] Apar referred to it as "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". He added that despite heavy use of extra instruments, "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".[19] Grischow thought that the band made a "refreshing album that screams for repeated play on sticky summer days". He added that it "works both as a danceable party rock album and as an example of beautiful songwriting ability".[20] Punktastic founder Paul Savage wrote that amongst the "drama and intrigue is a record that's nigh on perfect".[60] Billboard's Katie Hasty expanded on this, saying that the "breathless indie pop and broken-hearted lyrics of 'Dog Problems' deserve every bit of the attention they are receiving".[61]

Jennifer Sica of Alternative Press saw the album as an "odyssey sans trite lyrical clichés and guitar-overload breakdowns" found in emo, while Spin's Peter Gaston praised the "immaculate conceived arrangements", which "come to vivid life" with Ruess' "acerbic, spot-on witticisms".[54][59] Riverfront Times writer Julie Seabaugh said that "instead of treading clichéd ground, Ruess employs metaphors far more convincing than his peers' overused" imagery. She proposed two questions: "Females? Financial backing? If Problems is any indication, freedom suits the Format better than those two things combined".[25] Trent Moore of Soundthesirens opined that it was one of the bests releases to "ever be recorded. It's a collection of driving, happy sing-alongs that you can't help but fall in love with on the first listen".[62] Mxdwn's Jacquie Frisco wrote that the band made "something very unlikely: a tight, independent sophomore release that's more mature and meaningful than their first". [26] Melodic editor views it as "whimsical, it's joyful, it's glad, it's sad, it's all a mess in the instrumentation and it's just adorable all over".[57]

Kung wrote that the breadth of instruments made the album sound like "Disney—on crack, and what's really surprising is that it doesn't crumble under all that feel-good weight". Apart from the "occasional tedium", he said the majority of the album showcases "effortlessly creative depth".[21] Alan Shulman of No Ripcord wrote that the band "do a pretty good job putting their own spin on the melodic-here comes the hook-there goes the riff-check out this harmony pop song". He explained that it "never really dips below the level of 'pretty decent' which is enough to recommend it, but it's a sad fact that familiarity breeds contempt".[58] The A.V. Club writer Noel Murray felt that it "relies a little too much on pat power-pop formulas, though Ruess' sweetly elastic voice and honest anger carry a lot of the songs close to 'Time Bomb' sublimity".[55] Chicago Tribune contributor Kevin Bronson said the melodies "stick but never wear out their welcome" as the tracks were "arranged [well] but don't suffocate from their orchestration".[56]

Commercial performance, accolades and retrospective reviews

Dog Problems sold 13,000 in its first week of physical release, peaking at number 84 on the Billboard 200; it had sold 2,000 copies prior to the physical edition.[11][30][60] Alongside this, the album peaked at number 11 on the Tastemarkers chart.[63] Mxdwn included "Dog Problems" on their list of the best songs from 2006, while "The Compromise" was featured on No Ripchord's list.[64][65]

In a retrospective review, Knott said the album "sweeps you through 45 minutes of brilliantly easy listening with every ounce of its musical integrity in tact", going as far as to call it perfect. Broad, honest and ambitious, Dog Problems is a stunning listen from start to finish".[27] Tyler Scruggs of Spokesman felt that had a "timeless aspect that unfortunately isn't afforded to many of Nate Ruess' more recent efforts".[66] Spectrum Culture writer John Paul added to this, stating that it "should have made their career or, at the very least, helped assure them some sort of iconic cult record status". By comparison, he said that the material on Fun's Some Nights (2012) came across as "overproduced, lesser versions of the ideas conveyed on Dog Problems".[67]

Dan Bogosian in his book Red Hot Chili Peppers FAQ (2020) wrote that Klinghoffer's parts on the album were "not the most advanced guitar work, [but] one of the songs became one of the Format's largest hits in 'I'm Actual'", which he said foreshadowed the sound Fun would subsequently explore.[68] The Young Folks writer Ryan Gibbs expanded on this, saying fans could be able to hear "early inklings" of Some Nights in the songs "I'm Actual" and "Dog Problems". In addition to this, he called Fun's debut studio album Aim and Ignite (2009) the "spiritual successor to Dog Problems", and said Dog Problems was "one of the best power pop records of the 2000s and a towering statement of 21st century love and heartbreak".[69]

Track listing

All tracks written by Sam Means and Nate Ruess, except "Dead End" by Means, Linda Perry, and Ruess.[14]

1. "Matches" – 2:10
2. "I'm Actual" – 3:47
3. "Time Bomb" – 4:01
4. "She Doesn't Get It" – 3:51
5. "Pick Me Up" – 3:46
6. "Dog Problems" – 4:11
7. "Oceans" – 4:48
8. "Dead End" – 4:08
9. "Snails" – 4:09
10. "The Compromise" – 3:27
11. "Inches and Falling" – 3:30
12. "If Work Permits" – 5:28

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.[14]

Charts

Chart performance for Dog Problems

Chart (2006)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[11]	84
US Tastemakers Albums (Billboard)[63]	11

References

Citations

Sources

External links

• Dog Problems at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)

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