If there’s one thing I can’t seem to resist, it’s piano-based pop/rock. If my ears hear keyboards, I’m sure to swoon in short order. Thus, the following recommendations.

Jon McLaughlin – “Anthem For American Teenagers”
I first heard Jon McLaughlin last November, opening for Kelly Clarkson on her My December tour. I wasn’t expecting much from his no-frills three-piece setup, but found myself quickly won over by McLaughlin’s piano-centric songs. Sort of Ben Folds-like, but more earnest. He was gracious in the spotlight, clearly appreciative of the opportunity to introduce his music to more people.

I picked up McLaughlin’s debut disc, Indiana, a few days later. Though it’s a little overproduced here and there (not that I fault his label for adding some sheen in hopes of securing some radio play), the same spirit on display that night shines throughout. It’s hard to pick just one track to feature here, but “Anthem For American Teenagers” is one of my favorites.

McLaughlin’s come a long way from Anderson, Indiana. Catch him on tonight’s Academy Awards telecast, performing “So Close,” one of three songs nominated for Best Original Song from Enchanted.

One Night Only – “Just For Tonight”
If Keane lowered the piano in its mix and brought in some new-wave guitars, the result might sound a lot like One Night Only. Hailing from Yorkshire, England, the fivesome formed back in 2003, barely teenagers (or not even, in the case of lead singer George Craig, who was just 12 at the time).

One Night Only threw themselves into making music, grabbing gigs wherever they could (including Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club). By 2006, the band had the attention of big-city big-wigs, eventually signing with indie Vertigo Records. Steve Lillywhite (U2, Matchbox Twenty) produced the band’s debut, Started A Fire, recently issued in the UK. (Lillywhite, it’s worth noting, signed MGMT during his tenure as Senior VP of A&R at Columbia Records.)

“Just For Tonight,” the second single, is a Killers-like rave-up inspired by the “epic lights” of a nearby power station. Craig considers it the band’s best song yet. We’ll have to wait and see whether One Night Only sticks around (or crosses the Atlantic, as Started A Fire is currently import-only with no Stateside release forthcoming). On the basis of “Just For Tonight,” I think these boys may have already made it: