Thursday, January 11

09. THE FORMAT: DOG PROBLEMS


[Well, surely you didn't think I'd neglect to prepare a Top Albums lists for 2006 -- just like every other blogger and his brother? I spent quite a lot of time over the holidays re-listening to albums that I thought might make the final list. Some, of course, didn't quite live up to my initial evaluation(s). Others seemed to improve with the passage of time. I'll be rolling these out over the next few days, and you won't be seeing such blog beloveds as JOANNA NEWSOM, TV ON THE RADIO, SUFJAN STEVENS, or BEIRUT here. Their popularity continues to mystify me.]

Sometimes, being dropped by your record company can be a GOOD thing. It seems to have worked out that way for Arizona's THE FORMAT, who were dumped by Atlantic before releasing 2006's excellent DOG PROBLEMS.

On June 27, I wrote about these guys: "You can hear a bit of XTC in THE FORMAT's sound. Also: BEN FOLDS and THE FLAMING LIPS. But there's something of the '70s burbling up in there, too. A heaping helping of HARRY NILSSON, perhaps? A sliver of SUPERTRAMP? Well, why the hell not."

The Format on MySPACE.

[MP3] "I'm Actual"

No comments: