The Format—Boycott Heaven

This is the band’s third studio album, arriving after a 20-year hiatus. I’m sure I’d heard of them before, but I wasn’t familiar with any of their previous releases.

The album opens with "No Gold At The Top", and as soon as I heard the lead singer, I knew I’d heard his voice before. Not surprising, since the singer is Nate Ruess, formerly of the band fun, who scored a mega hit in 2012 with "We Are Young". Some voices, once heard, are never forgotten. The track has a slight psychedelic edge, especially in the first half, which then morphs into a more traditional pop song.

For me, the next track, "Holy Roller", is a more fluid song and, I suppose, a more traditional pop track, with "radio-friendly" stamped all over it. It starts fairly slowly but soon picks up the tempo. About halfway through, it takes a brief foray into a darker tone before switching back to the upbeat sound that preceded it, which makes for an interesting diversion.

"Shot In The Dark" opens strongly with acoustic guitars and vocals, gradually building as the rest of the band joins in. It’s an upbeat track with a driving energy that makes it instantly engaging. Another standout on the album, it balances the band’s signature sound with a lively momentum that keeps the listener hooked from start to finish.

Taking a more reflective step back, "Forever" opens simply with jangling guitars and vocals. It has an intriguing feel, with lyrics that seem to slowly unfold. Around the middle, the song shifts direction, becoming more stripped back and focusing on the vocals before returning to the full arrangement.

Taking a more reflective step back, "Forever" opens simply with jangling guitars and vocals. It has an intriguing feel, with lyrics that slowly unfold. Around the middle, the song takes a slightly different direction, becoming more stripped back and focusing on the vocals before returning to the full arrangement. Overall, it’s a great track.

"Depressed" is one of those songs that reminded me of another, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on which one. In situations like this, it will likely come to me much later. Again, there’s that interesting break in the middle, which seems to be a bit of a signature so far, not that I’m complaining. Overall, so far, it’s been a great collection of songs.

The next track, "No You Don’t", opens with an 80s rock vibe, yet with a contemporary delivery. It reminded me a little of the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?". as if covered by THePETEBOX. When the vocals first come in, they're initially less intense, but that song still bubbled in my subconscious, especially during the verses. As the track unfolds, the vocals build slightly, which really suits the song. For me, this is certainly one of the standout tracks.

Upon hearing "Right Where I Belong", I couldn’t get Bad Company’s "Feel Like Makin' Love" out of my head. I think it’s the acoustic guitar and some of the chord progressions. That’s not to say this is a pastiche, there’s just a hint of it. That being said, it’s a strong song in its own right, with enough originality to stand on its own two feet.

It’s funny, when "Human Nature" opened, my first thought was that it was some kind of chant, especially with the production effects applied. This was confirmed when the first line ended with the word "meditation". However, this feeling is fleeting, as the track soon hits its stride. It does return to the opening chant style later, which I think works really well.

"Leave It Alone (Till The Morning)" opens with a darker guitar edge, but when the vocals come in, the mood does a complete 180. For me, it’s a more sedate track, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it adds another layer to the album, but it does feel a little flat, perhaps unsurprisingly given the energy of the other tracks. It might have worked better as the closer, though I’m guessing, as I haven’t yet heard how the album ends.

The title track "Boycott Heaven" is another slower paced song, but here it feels a little more traditional, if that's the right word. It's funny, I would have thought you'd title the album after the strongest track on the album. For me this is a pleasant song, but more an album filler, than a showcase song.

OK, with "Back To Life", we get all the elements of a slower-paced song, one that, for me, works really well and brings the album to a satisfying close. The gentle instrumentation and reflective mood make it feel like a thoughtful wind-down after the more energetic tracks, giving the listener a sense of resolution. It’s a fitting conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

I love the album as a whole. My only real criticism would be the flow, the album closes with three slower-paced tracks, which I think might benefit from a slight reordering. Perhaps the two preceding the final track could be interspersed among the other songs to result in a better ebb and flow. Of course, track order is always a very subjective thing. What matters most, in the end, is that this is some truly wonderful music.