I am not convinced anyone has had that perfect, mid-summer night drive everyone talks about. At least, I have not yet. There are always too many red lights, a near-empty gas tank or that awkward balance between having the window all the way down and the wind chill. No matter how hard we try, the Instagram photo we want to capture that “summer night” experience is always lacking. Stick with me here, but maybe Turnover’s brilliant sophomore record is the missing piece to our puzzling lack of summer satisfaction.

“Peripheral Vision” is an uncompromising release, a record with the capacity to be downright gorgeous. The Virginia Beach quartet have tapped into a wonderful mixture of emotionally fueled pop with 90s indie, oftentimes sounding like a Real Estate unashamed of their own feelings. Even that comparison feels lacking, albeit necessary, as the band pulls in influences from all over the place. Opener “Cutting My Fingers Off” is an absolutely dynamic masterpiece, starting off as a pleasant enough lead single, only to completely shift into a somewhat post-rock, somewhat brutal breakup anthem bringing to mind the intensity of plugged in Sigur Ros, with a remarkable indie-pop accessibility. “And every dream I’ve ever had’s been of a better view and a ten month summer / Losing you is like cutting my fingers off,” are words that will resonate strongly with some, with a sonic direction resonating with far more than that of their debut, pop-punk record “Magnolia.”

This batch of songs seem to float on their own, not held up by any aspect in particular but rather the equal sum of all parts. “Peripheral Vision’s” success lies in just how strong these parts are to begin with. The guitar work throughout the record feels pure, oftentimes finding melodies that dip in and out of focus, just as interesting in the background as they are in the foreground. Austin Getz’s vocals are clean as can be, showcasing complex emotions and finding the sweet spot between the whine of heart-on-your-sleeve and the deadpan of slacker-rock.

I heard a story once about Josh Tillman’s wife telling him to not be afraid of letting the new Father John Misty record sound beautiful. These records could not be farther apart on the spectrum, but both succeed in letting their songs reach their full potential on their own. Each shimmering chorus will stick in your head for days, and the record provides enough lyrical depth to get you through the hottest of summers. Maybe roll down the windows the next time you attempt that perfect drive, and you will find “Peripheral Vision” is what you have been missing all along.