On this week's playlist, we present a quintet of guitar-driven pop and punk (not necessarily at the same time, mind you). With the explosion of electronic music, the six-stringed lead instrument that once saved rock 'n' roll from oblivion is now becoming less relevant. While we do love the bleep-bloop-centered pop that is so ubiquitous nowadays, we still hold in our hearts a special place for the guitar.

  • 'Eruption (Gonna Get My Hair Cut at the End of the Summer)

    Tobacco

    Tobacco is the side project of Black Moth Super Rainbow's mysterious frontman. This track, while featuring layers of guitars (and other noises), is deceptively dancey, and it's just a treat to hear. Tobacco's next album, 'Ultima II Massage,' comes out May 13.

  • 'Sunbathing Animal'

    Parquet Courts

    How long can a band play one chord and keep it interesting? Parquet Courts can do it for a full verse and still make you shake your head up and down while you become hypnotized by the chant-along vocals. This band can't help but draw comparisons to the Meat Puppets and others of that ilk, but Parquet Courts still make this sound their own.

  • 'Shot Me'

    Charnier

    The band's bio on their Soundcloud page simply says "Charnier is a new band from Brussels." While information about  this group may be hard to come by, their sound is very accessible. Repeated guitar leads sit comfortably on a drum machine beat and synth bass.

  • 'Lost Weight, Perfect Skin'

    Lower

    Lower are the second European band on our list this week. 'Lost Weight, Perfect Skin' is everything we loved about '90s punk, but without sounding dated. The band's next album, 'Seek Warmer Climes,' comes out on June 17.

  • 'Heavenmetal'

    Thurston Moore

    Former Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore (pictured above) relabeled this song -- originally a track by his new band Chelsea Light Moving -- as a solo number and released a video for it. It's a sweet, melancholy love song, and just as great as anything we've heard in the past from the gangly singer.

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