Dog Problems

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.

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. 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". 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. 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. 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". The album's opening song "Matches" is a slow tempo track with a carnival esque sound, a loose arrangement of chimes and a keyboard. 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.

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 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. was filmed over four hours and features origami. The Format's touring line up was augmented by Wendt and members of Anathallo. 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. On November 20, 2006, a music video for "Dog Problems" was released. The staff at Spin wrote it features hands, saying 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". "She Doesn't Get It" was released to radio on March 6, 2007; its music video was directed by Travis Kopach. On June 14, The Format performed Dog Problems in its entirety at Mayan Theatre in Los Angeles; the performance was filmed for a potential DVD release. In June 2007, the album was released as a free download over a three week period. Ruess said the band knew "kids aren't buying music", and added; "We're going to see if we can't pick up 20,000 new sets of ears by offering the album for free". Following this, the band went on a three month headlining US tour with support on various dates from Mike Birbiglia, Limbeck, Steel Train, Reuben's Accomplice, The Honorary Title, Ollie Wilde and Piebald. In February 2008, The Format announced they were breaking up. Dog Problems was initially released as an LP in 2006; in 2014, it was reissued as a two disc edition with a die cut jacket and an etching of a dog bowl on the D side. The two disc version was re pressed in 2016 and 2020. In 2022, the album was released on cassette as a joint release by The Vanity Label and Means' label Hello Records. Demos of "I'm Actual", "Time Bomb", "Dead End" and "If Work Permits", and an acoustic version of "Matches" were included on The Format's compilation album B Sides and Rarities (2007). These versions of "Time Bomb" and "If Work Permits" were later included on the EP Kenneth Room Sessions, which also includes demos of "She's Doesn't Get It", "Pick Me Up", "Oceans", "The Compromise" and "Inches and Falling". The Dog Problems portion of the Live at the Mayan Theatre video album was released alone as a live album in 2020, under the title Live at the Mayan Theatre: Dog Problems.

Dog Problems was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. AbsolutePunk founder Jason Tate wrote the first five tracks "impact with their hooks and choruses, it's the next 7 that make the album an almost instant classic". According to Billboard Katie Hasty, the "breathless indie pop and broken hearted lyrics of Dog Problems deserve every bit of the attention they are receiving". Jennifer Sica of Alternative Press called Dog Problems an "odyssey sans trite lyrical clichés and guitar overload breakdowns" found in emo while Spin Peter Gaston praised the "immaculate conceived arrangements", which "come to vivid life" with Ruess' "acerbic, spot on witticisms". According to Trent Moore of Soundthesirens, the album is one of the best 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". Mxdwn's Jacquie Frisco wrote the band made "something very unlikely: a tight, independent sophomore release that's more mature and meaningful than their first". Melodic's Pär Winberg called Dog Problems "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".

Dog Problems sold 13,000 copies 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's release.

In a retrospective review, Knott said Dog Problems "sweeps you through 45 minutes of brilliantly easy listening with every ounce of its musical integrity intact", and called it perfect. Knott concluded their review with; "Broad, honest and ambitious, Dog Problems is a stunning listen from start to finish". According to Tyler Scruggs of Spokesman, the album has a "timeless aspect that unfortunately isn't afforded to many of Nate Ruess' more recent efforts". Spectrum Culture writer John Paul added to this, stating the album "should have made their career or, at the very least, helped assure them some sort of iconic cult record status". In comparison, he said the material on Fun's Some Nights (2012) appears "overproduced, lesser versions of the ideas conveyed on Dog Problems". Dan Bogosian in his book Red Hot Chili Peppers FAQ (2020) wrote Klinghoffer's parts on the album are "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 later explore. The Young Folks writer Ryan Gibbs expanded on this, saying fans are able to hear "early inklings" of Fun's album 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 is "one of the best power pop records of the 2000s and a towering statement of 21st century love and heartbreak".