Is there a thread for this band/record? I think this is my favorite album of the year, as Dog Problems was for me, a couple years ago. Crazy, over-the-top arrangements, super-ambitious (maybe even over-ambitious, at times) vocals, and catchy, sing-along melodies. Anyone else enjoying this?
― schwantz, Monday, 21 December 2009 17:21 (fourteen years ago) link
Whoa, actually didn't know anything about this. Loved Dog Problems though, I'll have to check this out.
― you gone float up with it (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 21 December 2009 18:14 (fourteen years ago) link
Found this cheap in a used bin earlier this week, some pretty great stuff on here. It is certainly over-the-top, but some pretty undeniable moments. Surprised there hasn't been a little more talk about this.
― you gone float up with it (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 15 January 2010 21:13 (fourteen years ago) link
too hystrionic for me, sorry bros
― shake hands with Gongo? (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 15 January 2010 21:16 (fourteen years ago) link
Thats kinda what I thought on first listen, but little moments started popping out here and there.
― you gone float up with it (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 15 January 2010 21:19 (fourteen years ago) link
One more track: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002YSYXDG?ie=UTF8&tag=nettwerk-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002YSYXDG
― schwantz, Friday, 15 January 2010 21:34 (fourteen years ago) link
It's a Christmas track. :P
― schwantz, Friday, 15 January 2010 21:35 (fourteen years ago) link
Preview the new album...
― schwantz, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:16 (twelve years ago) link
record is super great, my favorite of the year so far
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Monday, 13 February 2012 20:52 (twelve years ago) link
a lot of worlds colliding, soundwise, because nate's old band the format comes from a distant emo/alt-rock/california pop area, which is then applied here alternately to queen-ish bombast and, like, graceland rhythms and layered hip-hop production.
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Monday, 13 February 2012 21:02 (twelve years ago) link
Not sure if I love all the autotune, since Nate's voice is pretty capable without it, but I'll have to listen a few more times before judging ;)
― schwantz, Monday, 13 February 2012 23:30 (twelve years ago) link
well i hate to be all "the autotune is used purposefully," but the autotune is used purposefully. in the title track it's for a kind of cool contrast between chorus and verse, in "stars" it's to pay maybe excessive homage to kanye's "runaway"
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Monday, 13 February 2012 23:34 (twelve years ago) link
Cool. I'll have to listen a few more times. I'm STILL listening to Aim and Ignite all the time, and the freakin' Gambler brings tears to my eyes every time.
― schwantz, Tuesday, 14 February 2012 00:07 (twelve years ago) link
"we are young": worst single of 2012, not looking forward to hearing it in TV ads all year
― some dude, Tuesday, 14 February 2012 00:53 (twelve years ago) link
man i love that song but fine ship
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 01:53 (twelve years ago) link
like i don't know if with that information you'll ever listen to the record but i really think you should, it's a solid weird pop album
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 01:57 (twelve years ago) link
and not too far displaced from the patrick stump solo joint of last year
i brought up their new single in the rolling indie thread as i didn't think they would have their own thread. anyways, i'm already board of the song but will probably hear it a lot over the next couple of months as i'm listening to radio more these days.
― Bee OK, Thursday, 16 February 2012 03:39 (twelve years ago) link
yeah but i love Stump's voice and think this guy's voice is the worst thing i've ever heard so i'll respectfully decline
― CANDY aka JUNK (some dude), Thursday, 16 February 2012 04:31 (twelve years ago) link
I re-listened to the Format a couple months ago and it was much shittier than I remember. honestly not all that hopeful for this...we'll see though.
― skip, Thursday, 16 February 2012 04:33 (twelve years ago) link
This band has so much potential but the production is just HORRIBLE on the couple tracks I'm flipping through, what are they thinking?? This is Owl City level stuff.
― skip, Thursday, 16 February 2012 04:42 (twelve years ago) link
dog problems is a great record, maaaaan
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Thursday, 16 February 2012 06:24 (twelve years ago) link
"We Are Young" just rocketed to #3 on the Hot 100. enjoy your new, even worse "Pumped Up Kicks"
― CANDY aka JUNK (some dude), Thursday, 16 February 2012 16:05 (twelve years ago) link
On Spotify, there are commentary tracks for a bunch of the songs...
― schwantz, Wednesday, 22 February 2012 23:34 (twelve years ago) link
oh and they did a whole video for the intro, which, yeah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAyNR4CEPE8
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Thursday, 23 February 2012 00:25 (twelve years ago) link
I really, really like this album.
― Gonjasufjanstephen O'Malley (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 24 February 2012 18:03 (twelve years ago) link
But, yeah, "We Are Young" is actually one of my least favorite songs on here.
― Gonjasufjanstephen O'Malley (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 24 February 2012 18:05 (twelve years ago) link
this band is going to blow up aren't they, they are the new Killers.
― Bee OK, Saturday, 25 February 2012 06:14 (twelve years ago) link
I saw them last night at the Independent (medium-sized club in SF), and it was this really cool vibe of a band that is playing the last of their club-sized gigs right as they are blowing up. Everyone onstage had a huge grin on their face; the crowd was singing along, etc. Great time.
― schwantz, Thursday, 29 March 2012 15:58 (twelve years ago) link
still really love this album.
― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 13 April 2012 18:10 (twelve years ago) link
me too
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Friday, 13 April 2012 18:17 (twelve years ago) link
weird, did not know dudes from the format were in this, lol
― J0rdan S., Friday, 13 April 2012 18:20 (twelve years ago) link
just the singer, really
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Friday, 13 April 2012 18:25 (twelve years ago) link
the other dude from the format is off doing soundtrack work i think
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Friday, 13 April 2012 18:26 (twelve years ago) link
so they're the ones who do that song
and they're called fun
― BEMORE SUPER FABBY (contenderizer), Friday, 13 April 2012 19:15 (twelve years ago) link
yeah.
record's hard for me to think or talk about because a lot of the lyrics hit kind of close to home (see also folie a deux, which, speaking of, the strange meld of third wave emo with pop forms is also totally on exhibit here)
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Friday, 13 April 2012 19:18 (twelve years ago) link
i like "we are young", such an undeniable anthem, and have now listened to a few other songs on allmusic's recommendations: "some nights", "carry on", "all alone". yeah, folie a deux is an obvious comparison point, along with the patrick stump solo joint, which never quite clicked for me. such a weird pileup of influences & connections here: freddy mercury & queen, grizzly bear, paul simon (???), pop emo in general, and god knows what else. pretty impressive, but maybe a little rich for my blood.
― BEMORE SUPER FABBY (contenderizer), Friday, 13 April 2012 19:41 (twelve years ago) link
top comment on the "some nights" tube i watched:
somehow this reminds me of The Lion king <3
otm
― BEMORE SUPER FABBY (contenderizer), Friday, 13 April 2012 19:42 (twelve years ago) link
the only way "we are young" could be any more cliched and awful would be if "set the world on fiii-yuh" rhymed with "our des-yuh"
― demolition with discretion (m coleman), Friday, 13 April 2012 20:10 (twelve years ago) link
"desir-yuh" i meant
but hey every pop generation needs its cheesy "anthems"
― demolition with discretion (m coleman), Friday, 13 April 2012 20:12 (twelve years ago) link
\paul simon (???)
I made this too - Some Nights is copped from Cecilia, with a patina of Little River Band. all by way of Queen of course.
― Jilly Boel and the Eltones (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 13 April 2012 21:56 (twelve years ago) link
m coleman otm
― some dude, Saturday, 14 April 2012 00:27 (twelve years ago) link
feel like what i like about the song is how the cliches sort of bounce off of the verses which are very specific
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Saturday, 14 April 2012 04:08 (twelve years ago) link
well they do feel like 2 different songs
― some dude, Saturday, 14 April 2012 08:09 (twelve years ago) link
I appreciate that fun. are listed 41st here even as they have the #1 hit in the country.
http://lineup.lollapalooza.com/
― The Reverend, Saturday, 14 April 2012 08:23 (twelve years ago) link
Forcing myself to listen to it sans visual, lest the product placement distract me from its musical riches. I almost was ready to accept Paul Simon but I'd say it's closer to Don McLean.
― da croupier, Saturday, 14 April 2012 12:30 (twelve years ago) link
The guy's voice sounds so terrible.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 14 April 2012 12:46 (twelve years ago) link
feel like i hated his voice when i first listened to the format but then i warmed to it extremely. anyway.
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Saturday, 14 April 2012 17:11 (twelve years ago) link
here is a great song from this record
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boqMW_EstG4
the lyrics to "We Are Young" are terrible
― Poliopolice, Saturday, 14 April 2012 17:54 (twelve years ago) link
eh, same goes for a lot of shit i like. they're no more terrible than AC/DC lyrics or whatever. just a lot more earnest. and earnest isn't cool, so...
― BEMORE SUPER FABBY (contenderizer), Saturday, 14 April 2012 18:09 (twelve years ago) link
sigh, if only people could get over themselves and appreciate earnest Windows 8 ads.
― da croupier, Saturday, 14 April 2012 18:16 (twelve years ago) link
tonightwe are youngplay your video gaaaames
― Whiney vs. (BradNelson), Saturday, 14 April 2012 20:15 (twelve years ago) link
i'm supposed to sneer at music used in ads now? fuck that, i like the stooges.
― BEMORE SUPER FABBY (contenderizer), Saturday, 14 April 2012 23:24 (twelve years ago) link
i'm referring to the ad in the video
― da croupier, Saturday, 14 April 2012 23:45 (twelve years ago) link
and i really only sneer at product placement when people flatter themselves with crap like "they're no more terrible than AC/DC lyrics or whatever. just a lot more earnest. and earnest isn't cool, so..."
― da croupier, Saturday, 14 April 2012 23:51 (twelve years ago) link
Someone probably said this already, but the Glee performance of We Are Young is better than the original:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ul-pLYo5MJ8
About 3 years ago I sent a couple friends to a Steel Train show in Brooklyn (Steel Train toured with various Daycadence bands for a while, so there's your Fall Out Boy connection) where Jack Antonoff, who was the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist in Steel Train then and is the guitarist in .fun now, did Queen's "Under Pressure" together with Nate.
I'm bringing this up because "Under Pressure" sums up the vibe of fun. - no? Especially at their live shows, where between Nate's histrionic Queen vocals and Jack's... presence (he's not the best singer or composer but he is a great "mood setter") there is so much nervous energy it infects everyone. Once you learn to associate the sound/vocals with that feeling, you learn to love the vocals.
Here's an interview where you can see "nervous energy" in action, also fun.'s great keyboardist who I suspect is like Jamie XX, the person who actually "composes" their music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4E5eVlSm1M&fb_source=message
In the future of DIY pop music, you only need good vocals and an interesting beat? (And good lyrics. Nate is a very very good lyricist.)
<i>This sounds like The Lion King <3</i>
Dunno how far to credit this but wikipedia sez Steel Train's former lead singer played Young Simba in the Broadway version of The Lion King. So this message... especially with the heart... it's probably from a longtime fan.
― hurricane weather (forapper), Sunday, 15 April 2012 00:04 (twelve years ago) link
https://soundcloud.com/bleachers/i-wanna-get-better
― schwantz, Tuesday, 18 February 2014 20:48 (ten years ago) link
bleachers song is very in the mode of "one foot." kinda into it.
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Tuesday, 18 February 2014 21:01 (ten years ago) link
the format reunited
i think this is the only relevant thread on ilm
anyway: greatest band of all time, i'm thrilled i'll actually be able to see one of these shows, unlike... mcr
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, 4 February 2020 16:28 (four years ago) link
the format > fun.
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, 4 February 2020 16:29 (four years ago) link
I mean, Klinghoffer has some free time to join up with the tour too...
― soaring skrrrtpeggios (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 4 February 2020 16:39 (four years ago) link
(nb I know his solo project is opening for Pearl Jam so he's not exactly hungry, but we could wish)
― soaring skrrrtpeggios (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 4 February 2020 16:40 (four years ago) link
also not sure this reunion is gonna be more than nate + sam doing acoustic sets but even that would be great, cf.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5aHhzhsC6c
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, 4 February 2020 16:41 (four years ago) link
ok i hadn't gotten very far in that video: it's gonna be a full band for the shows in new york, chicago, and phoenix
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, 4 February 2020 17:03 (four years ago) link
snails see the benefitthe beauty in every inchso why why why oh whyare you quick to kiss
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, 4 February 2020 19:10 (four years ago) link
Somehow I didn't have a bookmark on this thread so I missed the whole reunion thing!
Also, Sam Means put out an album, 10 Songs, in 2016, and it's pretty great!
― DJI, Thursday, 25 March 2021 20:54 (three years ago) link