Fortunately for fans of The Format, singer Nate Ruess wasn't gone for long. Now teamed up with Anathallo's Andrew Dost and Steel Train's Jack Antonoff, Ruess has found an even more adventurous vehicle for his musical imaginings.

While The Format was a rock band with a penchant for making grand gestures, fun. is kinda the opposite -- a rock opera outfit that doesn't mind dipping into indie rock. This bold move results in both huge successes and some notable misses.

Opener "Be Calm" is amazing in its dramatics twists and turns. Even "All the Pretty Girls," with its emphatic nod to the Bay City Rollers, finds a way to work. Other tunes ("At Least I'm Not as Sad as I Used to Be," "Barlights"), however, are just too a bit too showtunes-y.

Now that Ruess has had a chance to push the boundaries to the edge, let's hope he can find a way to come back to the center.