With At Your Leisure, Chicago indie rock outfit Clearance shake off much of the lingering '90s-influenced slackery of their 2015 debut in favor of a leaner sound that bears traces of classic Flying Nun Kiwi pop, '80s college rock, and post-punk. As solid as their early singles and LP were, the looming specter of Pavement remained a cross to bear, and with the band's subsequent exorcism of it (for the most part), they've turned a significant corner on this sophomore set. Led by singer/guitarist Mike Bellis, along with fellow guitarist Kevin Fairbairn, bassist Greg Obis, and drummer Arthur Velez, the quartet imbue their riffy, jangling guitar pop with an innately Midwestern flavor even as they're channeling bits of the Clean or the Kinks. Produced in Chicago by scene staple Dave Vettraino (the Hecks), who, among other bands, has also recorded Clearance's rehearsal space bunkmates, NE-HI, At Your Leisure also marks the group's label debut for West Coast indie Topshelf Records. Early highlight "Destination Wedding" marries the best of old and new Clearance with a bit of the swing and woozy bends of their first LP and an elegant chorus that could have come from a Robyn Hitchcock record. "Rumored Sequel" (a cheeky phrase that also gets a subliminally scribbled nod on the album's cover) has a breezy yet detached summer bent, while the excellent "Haven't You Got the Time?" has a distinctly British power pop feel. With better-crafted songs and a greater sense of confidence, Clearance have grown by leaps and bounds with this one.