Dog Problems is the second studio album to be recorded by American rock band The Format; the album was released on July 11, 2006, through the band's label The Vanity Label. Following the release of their debut studio album Interventions + Lullabies (2003), The Format were moved from Elektra Records to Atlantic Records, who were unable to promote them, causing the band to leave the label in late 2005. The Format recorded their next album Dog Problems 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 received generally favorable reviews from critics, many of whom praised the band's musicianship and songwriting. Retrospective reviews concurred, 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. In July 2006, "The Compromise" was released as the album's lead single, around which, the band went on a headlining US tour. Shows 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 in March 2007 as the final single, which was later promoted with a three-month US tour.
Background and recording
The Format released their debut studio album Interventions + Lullabies through Elektra Records in October 2003. In March 2004, Elektra was absorbed into Warner Bros. Records, after which the band were moved to Atlantic Records. While this was occurring, the band were supporting Yellowcard and Something Corporate on their co-headlining tour of the United States. Over the next three months, The Format performed on the Honda Civic Tour, and went on headlining tours of the West Coast and Midwest. They ended 2004 touring the US with Switchfoot and the Honorary Title. Atlantic Records had no success in promoting The Format, resulting in legal situations.
In April 2005, The Format supported Jimmy Eat World and Taking Back Sunday on their co-headlining US tour; to coincide with this, The Format released an Extended Play (EP) titled Snails. By July 2005, The Format were recording demos, after which they aimed to find a producer. According to Ruess, their record company listened to the band's new demos but "didn't hear a single"; the band repeatedly asked the label to remove them from the roster. Ruess planned to make a concept album about the ending of his five-year-long relationship but this idea was abandoned because he was "still in the relationship and it was still going bad and I couldn't get out of it". Atlantic removed the band while they were preparing to record their next album. On November 30, 2005, The Format publicly announced their departure from the label.
Dog Problems was produced by Steven McDonald, who was assisted by engineer Ken Sluiter, and was recorded in Los Angeles, California, over two months. They worked 12 hours per day on six days a week. Throughout the recording process, Ruess frequently apologized to his partner; he would 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. Sluiter mixed "I'm Actual", "Time Bomb" and "Pick Me Up", and the remaining tracks were mixed by Tom Rothrock. Mike Tarantino served as mixing engineer and Don Taylor mastered the album at Precision Mastering. "Snails" was re-recorded during the sessions; Ruess said the original EP version was recorded on a strict time-frame and the band were unable to give the song enough attention. They had wanted to include a children's choir but this was omitted when they ran out of time while recording the new version for the album.
Composition and lyrics
Music and themes The music of Dog Problems 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 Talking Heads.Musical style and band comparisons for Dog Problems: Indie pop:
Indie rock, the Cars, Talking Heads: Power pop:
Cake, Eels, Ben Folds, Jimmy Eat World: Ruess cited Skylarking (1986) by XTC as his biggest influence for the album; he said; "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, inspiration came from Nilsson Sings Newman (1970) by Harry Nilsson, which Ruess said has "so many great standardish songs". The works of 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. 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".Zemler 2012, p. 23
AllMusic reviewer Corey Apar wrote there is a "whimsical, carnival-esque air that appears sporadically throughout" Dog Problems as the band "mix in horn sections, piano, banjo, handclaps and pretty much whatever else was lying around the studio". IGN writer Chad Grischow said The Format 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. PopMatters contributor Winston Kung said 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". The melody of some songs, such as "I'm Actual" and "Dog Problems", came about when Ruess was sitting at home or driving; he would repeat the melodies to Means, who would then work out the chord progressions. From here, Ruess took lyrics from a notebook and worked them around the melodies.
Means and Ruess were supplemented by additional musicians for every song on Dog Problems, which includes cello, violin, viola, French horn, clarinet, sax, trumpet, trombone and tuba instrumentation. Mike Schey of The Honorary Title played guitar on over half of the album, while Josh Klinghoffer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers played on three of the songs. Don Raymond Jr. contributed bass to over half of the album while McDonald played bass on three of the songs. John O'Riley of Blue Öyster Cult played drums and percussion on most of the album, and Joey Waronker played on "Dead End", "Inches and Falling" and "Matches". Roger Manning Jr. wrote orchestral arrangements for three of the songs, and played a Wurlitzer on "Time Bomb" and a harpsichord on "Snails". Anna Waronker arranged and sang vocals on "I'm Actual", "Time Bomb" and "Dead End". Aaron Wendt of Tickertape Parade added Doppler effect to "Pick Me Up" and noise to "Oceans". A collective known as The Hobocamp Choir sang gang vocals on "Dog Problems", "Oceans" and "Inches and Falling", and performed clapping on "Oceans".
Tracks Discussing the album's title and the song "Dog Problems", Ruess said 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". The album's opening song "Matches" is a slow-tempo track with a carnival-esque sound, a loose arrangement of chimes and a keyboard. 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". "Time Bomb" is a dance-rock and power-pop track that blends drums and a piano against a disco beat; it describes a self-destructive woman who self-harms by the song's end. The track evolved from an occasion in which Means and Ruess tried to recall an older, unrelated song. Ruess wrote the melody and lyrics, and on the same day they recorded a demo of it. The surf rock song "She Doesn't Get It" discusses casual sex and includes a reference to Duran Duran. The fifth track, "Pick Me Up", begins with lyrics taken from the chorus of "Green Isaac (I)" on Prefab Sprout's first album Swoon.
"Dog Problems" opens with a Dixieland jazz atmosphere, and describes having a broken heart; the song is accompanied by bar piano and horns. 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". Sputnikmusic staff writer Knott said Ruess spells out "B-E-C-C-A before he realizes that he's spelling 'because' wrong and his thoughts have slipped back onto his presumed ex-girlfriend". The pop rock track "Oceans" recalls the work of the Beach Boys; Merry-Go-Round Magazine founder CJ Simpson wrote "Dead End" feels like a "massive post-intermission number of a happy-go-lucky musical". "Snails" is a folk song that uses the titular creatures as a metaphor for loving one's life; the track's guitar-playing is reminiscent of the style played by Paul McCartney in "Blackbird" (1968) by The Beatles. "The Compromise" is a response to Atlantic Records' request to the band for a hit-sounding song. Ruess said it "wasn't 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". "Inches and Falling" is a twee pop track that Grischow said is an "emphatic plea for love, despite the potential for emotional destruction". The album's closing song "If Work Permits" recalls the work of The Strokes and switches from a being ballad to a glam rock song.
Release
The Format supported Motion City Soundtrack in March and April 2006. A few weeks before its release, Dog Problems was leaked online, prompting the band them to sell it digitally early through The Nettwork's online store. Ruess wrote a long-form piece about the band's experiences while making the album and why listeners should not pirate it. When it was leaked, Ruess did not have the finished masters so he purchased the download version to show his parents. Dog Problems was made available for streaming through AOL Music on July 10, 2006, and was released the following day on The Vanity Label, The Format's own record label, with distribution through Sony BMG. On July 14, 2006, the band performed the entire album at a release show at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona.
"The Compromise" was released to radio on July 18, 2006; the same month, a music video for the song was filmed over four hours and features origami. In July and August, the band went on a summer tour with support from Rainer Maria and Anathallo. The Format's touring line-up was augmented by Wendt and members of Anathallo. The band took a week-long break in September before touring the UK with the All-American Rejects for two weeks. "Time Bomb" was released to radio on October 17, 2006; the vinyl version includes a cover of "Glutton of Sympathy" (1993) by Jellyfish as its B-side. A week later, the live EP And Now I Hope You're Alright – Live in California, including versions of "Matches", "Dog Problems", and "Inches and Falling", was released. 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.