So far in my rambling explorations across many genres of music and many songwriters and bands, Frank Turner is the closest experience that matches the thing that I feel with the pillows as far as fan community, incredible live performance, and amazing powerpoppy goodness. His lyrics are of a drastically different style, with more overtly political themes (hardcore singer from London who went over to folk and then punk-folk), but he really believes in rock and roll and it's awesome:

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv3Dfoims1k&t=1h13m44s]Photosynthesis[/url] (listen through the song and his cute sappy awesome speech that hits on the same feeling for me as "good music has no borders, no race, and is timeless" to see what I mean.)

Also, dude tours more than like...anyone. His schedule is insane, constantly.

His new album drops this August, and he's touring the states shortly thereafter. Saw him three times last year, and those were by far some of my favorite shows that I've been to in my life. He's also one of the few rock stars who's literally bigger than life (dude's easily 6'5"+, he towered over me a bit, and I'm pretty tall myself). Here are a few favorite tracks from across his career:

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyl-YJHgVQs]Once We Were Anarchists[/url] (overtly social-commentary from the first album)

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RbNdwY4ujw]Long Live the Queen[/url] (a song he wrote in tribute of a friend who died)

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjNX6qBRox8]Redemption[/url] (my personal favorite)