The Format - Boycott Heaven (January 23, 2026) • Page 21

Had the listening party on last night with my wife but couldn’t really give it my full attention

Hit play with headphones and immediately got choked up at the process of listening to a new Format record in 2026 lol

 

Just pressed play. Biggest smile when the band kicks in on "...only vultures waiting for you to die" on the opening track. Love the little guitar tag of holy roller at the end of the song as well. What a start.

I have a feeling the next 45 minutes is going to fantastic.

 

I've missed his voice so much, there's just no one else like him. The second half of the first track is fantastic.

 

Second listen and No You Don’t is a standout. Love that guitar

 

Human Nature is really great. I also hadn't given Right Where I Belong a proper listen, and I love the lyrics on that one.

 

What a record. Can't wait to spend more time with it. The one two punch of Boycott Heaven and Back To Life is such a fucking great end of the record. The guitar solo on back to life - so fucking good.

 

Reading in interviews that a big impetus of the record was Nate learning to play guitar was really cool to know while listening this morning.

There's something really freeing when learning to play guitar where you don't get in your own way with thoughts like "this riff/progression sounds like something else". You just play and if something sounds cool you chase it.

To me this record feels like a perfect mix of some simple progressions/shapings that Nate was learning mixed with the level of mastery that Sam is at where he added just enough to bring it into a whole new light and make it sound like their own.

 

So glad I didn’t listen to the singles more than once. The title track is so good.

 

I've listened to Holy Roller a ton, but other than that, I have sat out on the singles, so tomorrow will be a real fresh listen.

 

Same! All of these comments are getting me very excited

 

So stoked to listen to this tonight. Only just now really hitting me that this is actually coming out. Title track is definitely my favorite of the singles but it's all pretty great.

 

Was able to sort of listen to the listening party last night as my toddler was jumping on me. Intro had me hooked right away. Awesome that Sam was so chatty. Can’t wait for the Boston show.

Can’t wait to revisit with headphones. Please DM if anyone has a way to listen to this today, I have more free time for a walk with the Bose Quiet Comforts today than I do the rest of the weekend.

 

Held off on listening to anything besides Holy Roller until last week then played all the singles on repeat lol. Can't wait to listen tomorrow.

 

Also on team "No singles after the first" and cannot wait to hear this tomorrow. Still doesn't feel real, lol

 

that little musical tease of Holy Roller at the end of No Gold At The Top is so cool

 

I honestly wish I didn’t listen to all of the singles before it came out cause they all work so much better in context of the album

 

I love this? Damn good album. I always preferred Aim & Ignite to everything else Nate has done, even though I liked I&L and Dog Problems - the latter of which I definitely appreciated more as I grew older, and this thing is REALLY doing it for me. I am already on like my fifth listen.

 

OOH
AHHH
wanna take a shot IN the darrkkk

 

https://www.azcentral.com/story/ent...nion-album-nate-ruess-young-thug/88291622007/

article about how Back To Life was originally a song for Young Thug
Gonna need a remix

 

When I went to the listening event at Shuga I was like "wait does the album version of Holy Roller have this tag at the top or is it at the end of No Gold at the Top" and Sam mentioned during the bandcamp listening party that the bridge tease was originally at the beginning of Holy Roller. So... "yes" was the answer to my question I guess?

 

Album is great, “no you don’t” was my standout non single , so good

 

First impressions that I wrote a while ago:

It's The Format, but with a little more rock edge to it. A little bite. I think I like it more than both Fun. releases already, but that could be recency bias. Unsure where it'll sit with me with time; I really liked Nate's solo album on first listen but cooled with time on it as a whole.

And in my deep dark parts of my mind ... I kinda think there's a part of me that really wishes Interventions + Lullabies was a massive massive hit and we got like four records that sounded like that. Every time I listen to it I get nostalgic and feel like it sounds like it could be a hit record today.

Anyway, fuck yes, new The Format! I didn't expect this in my wildest dreams and can't believe it exists and of course it's good, because ... THE FORMAT! Still one of the best secrets in music.

 

I'm not sure this will ever reach the heights of those fun. albums or Dog Problems for me, just because that kind of bombastic pop music is way more my thing than the kind of grungy 90s alt rock vibes on here, but I still think this is pretty great and it actually reminds me more of early Format stuff than Nate's later work.

I'm just incredibly grateful to have new music from Nate and this band specifically. I'm going to be listening to this so much and I can't wait to have these melodies memorised so I can sing along. I doubt it'll take long.

 

It’s been what, 23 years since I&L came out and I still wonder HOW that didn’t blow up. They’ll forever be my “band that should have been massive” answer.

 

I mean , fun did blow up. They were playing the big amphitheater outdoor venues. And then jack & Nate got in a fight and broke up.

edit: I’m dumb and read “A&I” instead of “I&L”, please disregard my response