Jangly and energetic guitar-driven Indie Rock was all the rage during the late aughts and early 2010’s, especially across the pond in Europe. Irish-based Two Door Cinema Club’s debut album Tourist History (aptly named after their hometown of Bangor which is a popular tourist destination) is one of those albums that somewhat flew under the radar for me at the time but has all the elements I loved about the genre and make it a nostalgic ride despite my relative lack of knowledge with the band’s deeper discography. Filled with all the catchy vocal earworms that defined that era, and buoyed by an engaging interplay between the guitar and rhythm sections that constantly make you want to get out of your seat and just dance, Tourist History rides that line between disposable pop-rock and memorable genre-defining sounds. If I close my eyes when that first chorus of “Come Back Home” hits I can almost transport myself back to the music festival scene I dove into headfirst when I was in my early 20’s. And damn did it feel good to go back for that moment.
Standout Songs: “Come Back Home”, “Undercover Martyn”, “This Is the Life”, “I Can Talk”, “What You Know”
