The success of "Moo, You Bloody Choir" saw Richards expected by record label Sony BMG to produce a quality follow-up. He denied being under significant pressure, though the persistence of the label—"Richo, have you got a single? Do you have singles? Please, do you have singles?"—was noted. Much of the writing for Augie March's fourth album took place while touring the United States, which Richards argued minimised the band's opportunities to be creative. In 2008, Augie March began recording "Watch Me Disappear" at Neil Finn's Auckland studios; they also recorded in Melbourne, Sydney, and Los Angeles. The band worked primarily in New Zealand to get away from the distraction of Melbourne, their hometown, thus allowing them to focus solely on recording.