While previous material from debut album Counting Spins had a ''shiny larger-than-life mix to it'' perfect for straightforward rock radio, on the Kody Nielson (Mint Chicks/Opossom) produced Nobody/Everybody, an infectious layer of '60s fun and fuzz has been used to darken the group's pop sensibilities.
Affable guitarist Dave Rowlands says it's their most honest record to date.
''We're really happy with how it turned out,'' Rowlands says.
''It was one of those things, where we went to do it, we thought it would be a risky move. The previous record got a shiny larger-than-life mix to it, and it wasn't really what we wanted.
''We knew we were going to end up losing a bit of radio play by taking the approach to the new album that we did, but the risk was worth it.''
It certainly seems to be paying off, with the album garnering strong reviews, many surprised by the new direction or commenting on the group's return to their early ''rawer'' days.
''We just wanted to make an album that was more honest to what we were as a band,'' Rowlands says.
''On [this album] we wanted to go back and work a lot harder with the record and get something that was little more to what we were like.''
Without downplaying the band's input, Kody Nielson's production is certainly a key factor here. The man behind one of the most beautiful-sounding records of the past few years (his own project Opossom's Electric Hawaii), makes everything sound lush, exciting, and vintage. His minimal drum-mike technique achieves an incredible Stones/Beatles sound, used to deft effect by new drummer Alex Freer on lead single Everybody.
''We were really big fans of Belle by Bic Runga [which Nielson also produced], and we knew to a degree what we were going to get from Kody in regards to his production on his own,'' Rowlands says.
''He gave us lots of freedom to do what we wanted to do, and was really encouraging to every idea we had. We were really relaxed.''
The band performs alongside Auckland four-piece Sherpa, also fresh from recording an album with Nielson, next Saturday at Chick's Hotel.
Playing
Clap Clap Riot's Nobody/Everybody album release tour with Sherpa, Saturday March 15, Chick's Hotel, Port Chalmers, doors 8pm.
• In support of his latest solo album, Infinite Life (to be released on March 14), sweet-singing songwriter Grayson Gilmour performs at Chick's Hotel this week.
The album is a proper follow-up to 2010's Flying Nun re-launch of No Constellation, with Gilmour's in-between years filled mostly with soundtrack work, including his award-winning score for The Most Fun You Can Have Dying, and the occasional performance with his band So So Modern.
In the five-minute audio trailer available online, Infinite Life seems to stick pretty closely to Gilmour's material of the past: layered dulcet vocals, production swirling around circular drumming, and at the heart, sweet and light pop songwriting.
Playing
The 91 Club Presents: Grayson Gilmour Infinite Life album release with Bad Sav and Mavis Gary (Adrian Ng of Trick Mammoth), Thursday March 13, Chick's Hotel, Port Chalmers.
