It's the beginning of August, and that mid-summer funk is certainly looming in the humid air. Dripping with sweat at the mere mention of stepping outside, working that awful summer job for just over minimum wage, launching into that horrible packing process and prepping for move-in day, counting the days until class begins — with so many problems, what's a poor college kid to do?

Fear not, friends; the boys of The Format are back to cure any summer ills with their sophomore album Dog Problems.

The Arizona-based group, started by smooth vocalist Nate Ruess and the man of many instruments, Sam Means, puts a spin on the indie-pop sounds of their 2003 release, Interventions and Lullabyes. The new album adds anything from piano to banjo instrumentation to their tracks, proving even the most heartbreaking troubles can easily turn into a raging party.

Although a great deal of Dog Problems was spawned by sugary crooner Ruess' breakup with his girlfriend, upon first listen, and every spin thereafter, the disc delivers an uplifting tone guaranteed to produce spells of toe-tapping or even ragtime shuffling. As the track "Time Bomb" reveals, despite the content's underlying themes of bitterness and melancholy, the arrangements and cheery melodies portray the point in the process where "self pity gets a breath of fresh air" — and the air never tasted so sweet.

The title track takes listeners through one crazy sonic rollercoaster, placing sarcastic lyrics amid a playful carnival theme. One can almost picture Ruess standing as the ringmaster of his own cynical little circus — dancing around at center stage as a gang of indie kids forms a kick-line behind him, jumping to the tunes of a blaring horn, clarinet and piano accompaniment. However, the song and dance routine cannot be maintained throughout the song and the track breaks down to a soft ballad midway, revealing "This is the sound of my heartbreaking/ And I hope it's entertaining/ 'Cause for me it's a bitch." Not to be tied down by his "dog problems," Ruess builds momentum, and, by the end of the track, he is back to the ringmaster façade, culminating in a grand sendoff.

On "Oceans," the boys of The Format pay respect to their characteristic sound rooted in Interventions and Lullabyes. Without crossing the line into over-production, the song bounces its way along the catchy chorus of just enough sha-la-las and hand claps. The same continues on "Dead End," a track where the group enlists the help Linda Perry. This collaboration with the 4 Non Blondes singer/songwriter — who penned the Christina Aguilera hit "Beautiful" and has also worked with the likes of Jewel and Gwen Stefani — produces a poppy piano intro that segues perfectly into a light track subtly dotted with clever harmonies and tambourine beats.

While expanding their pop horizons in "Dead End," The Format also finds a place on the album to seemingly poke fun of institutions that preach conformity to a certain style, such as Atlantic Records, the label that dropped the band in 2005. Ironically, the loudest, most blaringly pop-flavored track on the album, the tongue-in-cheek song "The Compromise," details the ridiculous "dance" between a puppet master and his puppets. One party signs on the dotted line and gets no say in the motion, while the other party sits behind a desk, leaving the "puppets" to simply "dance and smile the whole time," and if they can't, "there's someone else in line." Take that, corporate big-wigs.

The Format is playful and humorous throughout Dog Problems entirety, consistently delivering catchy hooks that never seem to grow old. Sure, their music has moved in an increasingly polished and poppy direction, but it evokes folksy sounds at the right moments. Still, songs like the aptly titled slow track "Snails" — which was originally released on a 2005 EP — provide just enough taste of the past to keep listeners comfortable with the transition.

For those deprived Something Corporate or The Shins fans eager to add a new band to the rotation, check out all of The Format's new tricks on this release. The summer fun brought on by Dog Problems will certainly leave listeners rolling over and begging for more.

4 out of 5