Actually, I was going to tell him (as I tell just about everyone) to listen to LCD Soundsystem.
Because dance-punk is love.
But seriously (not that the above is not serious), you might try some twee-esque pop, such as Architecture in Helsinki, Belle & Sebastian, I'm from Barcelona; or try some "poppier" indie rocks, like The Format, Nada Surf, The New Pornoraphers, The Paperbacks or The Shins. As Jeph himself suggests, you also can't go extremely wrong with The Flaming Lips' The Soft Bulletin (or, for that matter, most of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots), and on one final note The Postal Service has always made me smile.