Double Allergic - Recording and Production

Recording and Production

Double Allergic contained material that had been written by Powderfinger in 1995 and 1996. Prior to its release, guitarist Darren Middleton described it as "by far the best thing we've done", an analogy that would be often made when comparing the album to its predecessor, Parables for Wooden Ears. Middleton praised the album because the band knew how they wanted the record to sound before they began to record; he also described it as "the most concise continuation of who we are down on record".

Lead singer Bernard Fanning noted that another important element of the album was that there "was more space in the songs, it wasn't overcrowded". However, Fanning commented that Powderfinger had not intended to greatly change their sound in creating Double Allergic, instead, the change in sound came as a natural progression. Guitarist Ian Haug agreed, stating the music was "more melodic and sort of simpler", without "so many different time signatures and things". Rolling Stone author Tracey Grimson also commented on this, stating that "Powderfinger have become practical advocates of space" and lauding their acknowledgment that the "absence of sound can be lush, evocative". She noted that even in the "rockers" on the album—songs like "Pick You Up" and "Skinny Jean"—the band were still able to pull back and give the songs additional space.

Powderfinger spent less money in producing Double Allergic than on their previous works. Previously, the band had worked with Tony Cohen, whom Fanning stated was expensive due to his success in the industry. For Double Allergic the band chose Tim Whitten, a less well known producer, and because the band knew what they intended to do as they entered the studio, they managed to spend less money despite the improved sound. Middleton commented on Whitten's capabilities in the recording studio, saying "He's what a band looks for in a producer/engineer, because he's got his own ideas", but stating that Whitten would also listen to and appreciate the band's ideas.