Nobody/Everybody Album Review

It’s been a pretty rad year for Clap Clap Riot so far; with appearances at the revamped 2014 Big Day Out and just finishing up on a nationwide tour in early March, the release of their second album Nobody/Everybody brings a super polished and completely contagious lo-hi experience. Scrappy punk vibes transmit via a 60s swag that makes you wanna jerk your head around like a Thunderbirds puppet.

CCR capture all these little nuances of silly romantic dalliances and make them catchy and melodic on album highlights; I’m Sorry, Sweet Patricia and the saucy, fun Ask My Girl. Not ones to stick to a one note style, CCR conjure up some sweet New York / The Strokes flavoured rock on Out of Here but potentially my obsession track is the desert freak-out wanderer, Once Again; it’s almost all instrumental with the vocals drifting in and out through a reverbing haze, it’s discordant, beautiful and it’s loaded with handclaps. Geez, I love handclaps.

This album feels cool all around thanks to being recorded live (it’s just better sometimes…) at The Lab in Auckland’s Mt Eden, with production and mixing by Kody Nielson (Mint Chicks, Opossom). Ooh! A burl their video for single Everybody would be advisable too. It’s creative, mischievous and should assuage any burning desires you may harbour for a cross-desert U.S. road trip complete with a cheapo motel. Nice work, nice work indeed!