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Idiot Pilot, from Bellingham, WA, come across as a pop-punk centered version of Radiohead circa their OK Computer and Kid A days. Armed with a laptop computer, strong vocals and an array of instruments Michael Harris and Daniel Anderson put forth a very enjoyable sophomore effort.

The laptop pop of Wolves, released in August 2007 digitally with a proper album release in February 2008, is a breath of fresh air. Most of the tracks are uplifting musically and lyrically. They enlist heavyweight help with a drum cameo from Travis Barker on Elephant.

Wolves is more polished than Strange We Should Meet Here, Idiot Pilot's 2004 debut. The abrasive vocal shredding from the debut is replaced for the most part with more melodic toned-down vocals.

The opening track, Last Chance, starts out quietly before erupting into the chorus. This is reminiscent of many of the quiet-loud-quiet bands. This track sits somewhere between typical pop-punk and grandiose arena-rock like Muse.

The thing that I really love about Idiot Pilot is that they strive to create a sound of their own. They do borrow elements of other artists, but who doesn't? The tracks Cruel World Enterprise, Retina and the Sky and Planted in the Sky remind me of Vendetta Red crossed with the Blood Brothers, two Pacific Northwest bands who were gone too soon. We're lucky to have Idiot Pilot to carry that torch on.

Oh, by the way, In Record Shape is totally their Radiohead song save the throat shredding vocals.

This album builds on their debut and once again is a throughly enjoyable listen.