Review by Andrew Magilow
Though signed to that dreadlocked Counting Crow guy's label, the Gigolo Aunts are a far cry from "Crowdom." Having patiently formulated their sound since 1989, and being glaringly ignored by RCA in 1994, I figured the Aunts would've given up by now. Minor Chords and Major Themes proves that the Aunts not only have a solid Beatles background but take nods from the Sloan camp as well. Ignoring the need for any pompous puffery, "C'mon C'mon" whisks out some affable guitar riffs and simple, soulful vocals that are practically the epiphany of pop music as we know it: catchy, bouncy, full of finesse and immediately accessible. Yeah, sure, it sounds like Shampoo, but the Gigolo Aunts know how to get gritty with the tempestuous rock riffing of "Super Ultra Wicked Mega Love" -- a song that seems to sing about nothing, yet sinks in just as quickly as any of those profound, lyrical head-spinners. Sincerity permeates the majority of these tracks, along with an authenticity that allows emotion to drizzle from the CD player without any embarrassment from the Aunts' public display of personal reflection.