For whatever reason, this morning I pulled out Sting's Dream of the Blue Turtles. Settling at my desk, I opened the case only to find out that the disc was missing (This is bad? - Ed.). Slightly disappointed, I slid Olo's latest into my player. I guess the saying is true: when the musical gods close a door, they open a window. Brimming with jazz interludes, billowing vocals, and inventive approaches, this Indiana-based quintet's second album is a winner.

The opening track, "Tennis on Swaymore... Swaymore", begins with the drawl of a winding-up tape deck which then coalesces into a swaying bass pattern. A gentle and odd keyboard line drops in after the verse, lending the song an innocent melody. Just when things seem as guileless as a Magical Mystery Tour, the song swerves into serious musicianship with horn punches and convoluted, intertwined bass and guitar parts. A similar formula of innocent pop leading to accomplished jazz is employed in "The Multitudes". Here, the sound is akin to New Order, with whistling synthesizers and a crisp snare. Don't get complacent, however, because whammy bar warbling intermixed with the precise strings keeps things unsettled, while the Cure-like rock beat lends the music urgency.

Taking cues from Miles Davis, the entire record revels in its open spaces. This airy feel brings a list of pop delights to the tip of my tongue, but the uniqueness of the band's approach prevents me from spitting them out. Skillfully combining dreamy pop with jazz, Olo produces accessible music with enough swing and drama to attract casual listeners. However, the unusual flourishes are what bring me back to the disc. "Around the Bend" is fine and snazzy with enough bop to nod my head, but the curious sound effects interspersed through the track are what keep my interest. By itself, "Press On" is a cute song filled with off-kilter Ween-styled melodies. What makes the song so appealing are the hitches in the music. By eschewing a regular pattern, the interruptions avoid gimmick, instead keeping me on edge and involved with the music. This turns an otherwise merely pleasant track into something joyous.

Again and again, moments of bliss float from my speakers. The shift from standard to waltz time in "Pizzazz", the ebb and flow of "To Me You're Like the Setting Sun", the vaguely Hawaiian feel of "Barr of Sand"... all of these make the album worth at least one listen. Combined, they demand heavy rotation. It's enough to make me glad I can't find my Sting disc, since that just gives me time for another spin of Still Life With Peripheral Grey.