Moving beyond paying homage to vintage California pop, Yellowbirds embrace an otherworldly yet solid sound on their sophomore release. This time out, band mastermind Sam Cohen fleshes out his pastel visions with a gifted support crew, fusing his evocative guitar touch with Annie Nero’s supple bass lines and Brian Kantor’s sparse, Moe Tucker–esque drumming. As with his earlier group Apollo Sunshine, Cohen recalls the orchestral grace of Pet Sounds–era Beach Boys without succumbing to blatant imitation. Lush electronic flourishes and high, eerie strings lend tracks like “Stop Tonight” and “The Ceiling” a poignant romanticism hinting at heartaches beneath swaying palms. The gentle acoustic guitars and tingling keyboards of “The Vanished Frontier” frame tenderly brooding lyrics. Under the atmospheric swirls and washes that give the album its distinctive glow is a core of solid songcraft; “Young Men of Promise,” for instance, is carried by a wistful melody worthy of the Brill Building’s classic tunesmiths. “What’s Out There” pares down the arrangement filigrees to highlight Cohen’s delicately angst-filled vocals.