Gigolo Aunts was one of a vast number of bands that seemed to rise to popularity in the mid-90s rush of major labels to sign every "alternative" act they could get their hands on. That was the brief period when college rock and radio rock merged, before radio rock took a more glossy, mainstream course and college rock went indie. This Boston by way of Potsdam, NY band (now playing in LA) had a few major label releases, playing their brand of 70s-influenced power-pop for Alias (1993's Full on Bloom) and RCA (1994's Flippin' Out).

But the Aunts had been playing together since the early 80s, and that brief period of popularity - while it may have brought the most fans - was really a flash in the pan in this power-pop band's longstanding career. Apparently more popular in Europe than the US since leaving the majors, they've released several other albums that completely passed me by, including their last two on the Spanish label Bittersweet Recordings (The One Before the Last and now Pacific Ocean Blues). Q Division has wisely picked up this album for US release, and the hope is the band will gain a wider recognition in the indie world.

Originally I assumed the Gigolo Aunts had been out of the picture since their mid-90s flourish, but that's far from the case. The thing is, their sound hasn't changed much. They still fall in among the style of bands playing mid-90s jangly guitar-pop that harks back to mid-70s guitar-pop. Like contemporaries Velvet Crush, Teenage Fanclub, and Matthew Sweet, the Gigolo Aunts' biggest influences are the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Velvet Underground. Much in the way Sloan and the Posies have leant their own unique sound and enthusiasm to the retro-minded style, the Gigolo Aunts' jangly power-pop is still tight, catchy, and fun, even if it's not remarkably original.

The track listing is split into side one and two, and it's a fitting division. The first "side" is definitely the most purely upbeat and poppy stuff, right from the opening, as jangly guitars and tambourine lead the catchy rocker "Hello." The band really shines with the Matthew Sweet-like pretty pop of "Let Go!" that incorporates some nice horns and acoustic guitars and the catchy "Maybe the Change Will Do Us Good." The band harks back to their influences with the Beatles-esque vocal harmonies to "Mr. Tomorrow" and the Who-like classic-rock-influenced "Stay" and show their maturity are the mid-tempo radio-friendly songs like "Even Though (The One Before the Last" and the soft, heartbreaking "My Favorite Regret." A couple of rather tame tracks, like the too-sweet acoustic ballad of the title track, the very soft "Lay Your Weary Body Down," and the poor vocals on "Once in Awhile" slow down the album but don't ruin it.

In short, Pacific Ocean Blues isn't a perfect album, nor is it groundbreaking, but it's still a fun listen. Fans of power-pop - especially the hay day of that genre in the mid-90s - will really enjoy the Gigolo Aunts. This album is mature, impeccably produced, and quite nice. If not for the few tracks that go the quiet, contemplative, "mature" route, this one is a great listen. It makes me wish I didn't miss out on all the Aunts albums in between.

                           

Just like most summer days at Pacific ocean beaches, sunny weather just won't be denied within the grooves of Gigolo Aunts' new "Pacific Ocean Blues" album. This quartet, which recorded much of its new album at West Coast resident Counting Crow Adam Duritz's home studio, may sing blue words, but jangling guitars and windswept harmonies give even the saddest thoughts here an enduring sweetness.

You're left with an overriding feeling that these Aunts only want all depressive thoughts to be washed forever out to the sea. Why else would they add an exclamation mark to a song like "Let Go!," for example? Even the reflection on the one that got away ("My Favorite Regret") looks back with love, rather than anger.

The energy here is never less than enthusiastic, and the melodies are always memorable. The style on "Pacific Ocean Blues" is best described as soft (power-pop) rock, due to consistently harmonious feel. The track "Let Go!" is one of the rare moments where the vocals retain an extra edge, or where instruments other than guitars (horns, in this case) are supplied to fill out the tracks. The album includes one piano ballad at the end, called "Long Scattered Daydream," which is the aural equivalent to the sun going down, after a long and satisfying day at the beach.

                           

This is as smooth and even a musical offering as the temperate climes of sunny California, and I guess that's kind of the point to Pacific Ocean Blues, the latest impressive offering from the now semi-West Coast-transplanted Gigolo Aunts. Previously available only as an import from Spain (where Gigolo Aunts enjoy a popular following), Q Division finally has released a domestic version for the North American market.

Born out of a hodgepodge of ideas and locations, the end results reflect no hints of any such turmoil, only a solidly executed and well-produced (by Chris Horvath) block of music that showcases an impressive range of rockers and ballads. This is pleasant stuff that's oh so easy on the ears, and for many, might take its place as favorite Gigolo Aunts disc. While the end result is lovely, getting there was a rough haul.

Exhausted after touring behind Minor Chords and Major Themes, the latest lineup of the band essentially drifted apart. In spite of all their efforts, commercial success seemed more elusive than ever. E. Pluribus Unum (their then record label) folded. Creative force Dave Gibbs moved to Los Angeles and his songwriting partner Steve Hurley followed a few months later. Lead guitarist Jon Skibic was in New York and drummer Fred Eltringham was in Boston. Geographically and otherwise, the band was in disarray.

The initial feeling was that a new release would be a quiet acoustic affair, as Gibbs had a number of ballads he had written. While Steve and Dave worked on those soft tunes, Jon and Fred were touring with Juliana Hatfield. When the need to rock arose, former Gigolo Aunt Phil Hurley and Cavedog Mark Rivers (on guitar and drums, respectively) sat in on a few sessions.

Counting Crows' Adam Duritz offered use of his studio for a few weeks in the summer of 2001 and by then Fred and Jon finished touring and joined their bandmates in Los Angeles. Some nice pieces got recorded, but not enough for a new release. Producer Chris Horvath remedied that situation in his own Venice studio. Dave, Steve and Chris recorded all types of things, finishing tracks, turning ideas into fully-fledged songs, while Jon and Fred came by now and again to add their touches too.

In the end, it was a fun experience. Without record label pressure, there was a feeling of calm not unlike California itself, whether doing sensitive soft ballads or hard-edged rockers. The final product captures that upbeat quiescent feeling well -- you get music that sounds fun and sunny and special. For a band that threatened to disintegrate into disparate parts, the joyous vibe of them together as a musical whole reaffirmed their existence several times over -- and Pacific Ocean Blues is that hard proof.

"Hello", an upbeat little ditty whose title defines it as an opener, shows that Gigolo Aunts can do the power pop. This song about the mishaps of "forever looking for someone who's an awful lot like you" clocks in tidily under two minutes and features the switch of Dave Gibbs on bass.

"Mr. Tomorrow" is a very Teenage Fanclub-ish type song, in that it features infectious harmonies laid down upon layers of backing guitars. This one about losing out on the present by always focusing on the future features additional players Phil Hurley and Mark Rivers, along with Chris Joyner on piano.

"Even Though" continues on in the Teenage Fanclub-ish vein, again using Phil and Mark as extra players. The lyrics trade on the Spanish phrase "the one before the last" in reference to leaving the past behind, in this case a past love: "This is the one before the last / A testament to moving out from under shadows cast / No longer putting down / All the things I thought about you in another song."

The upbeat highlight of this superb set is the horn-backed energy of "Let Go". This five-minute call to action to let go of the past features a seamless blend of horns and rocking guitar leads, one-upping such great arrangements as done by Sloan and Velvet Crush in years past. Chris Horvath adds some nice organ, but do check out the great Jon Skibic solos.

The title song (whose title was borrowed from Dennis Wilson) features the fingerpicking of Mike Lennon, as he does the Gigolo Aunts distant musical cousin to Ralph McTell's "Streets of London". David Immergluck lends some weepy pedal steel to this solemn reminisce and Gibbs delivers a solid vocal performance.

A better ballad is the hauntingly beautiful "Lay Your Weary Body Down", one of those acoustic ideas of Gibbs' that grew over time. Horvath arranges the strings to perfectly accompany this comforting ode at a time of despair: "When everything that once was right is wrong / and every little ray of hope is gone / when you feel a bit more lost than you feel found / Lay your weary body down." This song could work perfectly for a number of television shows (tracks from this CD already have been featured in episodes of Alias, Everwood, and Felicity), and will be a favorite for those burning personal mixes for others. Fred Eltringham's drumming on this track is outstanding.

"Stay" gets things back to an upbeat, with a harder Redd Kross or Fuzzbubble edge to it. This is the band as a tight unit, everyone doing their part to get a complex song across -- they do and make it seem simple.

"Only You" does a fine job of mixing what could have been merely a mellow tune with some great guitars (and a nod to the Pretenders in one solo). "Once In A While" is another pretty ballad that features vocals from bassist Steve Hurley, with lyrics that bemoan how "less of a broken heart" should be a possibility (like slightly pregnant or only a little dead, I suppose).

The only acoustic idea that remained fairly extant is "My Favorite Regret", which is as near to a solo Gibbs song as it gets (with a little organ, a smatter of drums). Gorgeous and clever, this older song is served well here.

You also get a lovely Chris Joyner piano version of "Lay Your Weary Body Down" and "Long Scattered Daydream" (bonus tracks included only on this Q Division North American release).

Hurley gets back into things with the complex closer "Maybe The Change Will Do Us Good" (though again, two hidden tracks that follow). With lyrics revamped to better reflect the loose California theme of these songs (it first was written about the band's former home in Boston), one can only come to the conclusion that apparently the change has done them good.

But the Gigolo Aunts prove there is no rest for the weary: Steve Hurley has been playing in Anna Waronker's band, Fred Eltringham has been touring as a drummer for Ben Kweller (as well as laying down tracks for an upcoming Tears For Fears release), and Jon Skibic has been busy with a number of groups (Juliana Hatfield, Ivy, David Mead, Run Run Run, Gush & Twilight Singers).

Renaissance man Dave Gibbs (who contributed largely to the Josie & The Pussycats soundtrack), has been singing the theme of ABC Saturday morning kids show Tokyo Pig, has written songs for TV, film and commercials, has designed a line of fashion T-shirts called Kid L, has written a hip-hop screenplay version of Cyrano de Bergerac, and is playing solo in West Coast clubs under the name Kid Lightning.

While some might prefer the true power-pop classic Flippin' Out, there's a strong case to be made that Pacific Ocean Blues is the band's most well-rounded singer/songwriter effort yet, presenting exquisite ballads alongside harder rocking material with great harmonies and fine musicianship throughout.

Now that Gibbs, Hurley and company have given up the hard push to find true commercial success, perhaps fate and irony will deliver it to them regardless. Like the California sun, the music of Pacific Ocean Blues shines on, delivering relaxed warmth even as the outside world knows unrest.

                           

As Steve Hurley's brother Phil quietly sneaks back into the fold, albeit as a part time contributor, the sound of the Gigolo Aunts cycles back to their smoother pop days. Those who welcomed an edgy sound may be dismayed at this theme reversal, but face it, the Aunts were always at their best when laying down the lush. Pretty music ain't for everyone, but for those who partake will be richly rewarded. The Aunts crank out glorious 45 rpm single style tunes made for humming. And boy does it ever feel good. Oh loosen up will ya?

                           

One of our favorites bands from the 1990s returns...with yet another stunning collection of mind-bending pop. The best word to describe this band's music is...exhilarating. While other bands merely pump out the rhythms and sing the words...these guys manage to take their music to a more cerebral level. Soaring melodies abound throughout Pacific Ocean Blues. Gigolo Aunts are in truly fine form here...presenting each tune with energy, style, and conviction. Bounding out of the gate with the exhilarating "Hello" the band then proceeds to belt out one oughta-be hit after another. Particularly incredible tracks include "Mr. Tomorrow," "Lay Your Weary Body Down," "My Favorite Regret," and the unnamed thirteenth cut. This album is ultimately satisfying from start to finish...with absolutely no filler. This could very well be this band's most consistent effort yet... (Rating: 5+++)

                           

The days are sunnier now. Dave Gibbs, singer and co-songwriter of onetime Boston pop darlings the Gigolo Aunts, is on the phone from his apartment in West Hollywood, where, he rubs it in, it's mostly sunny all of the time. But that's not the kind of sunny we're talking about, which has more to do with life looking considerably less bleak, the concept of ''success'' not seeming so much like the carrot at the end of the string.

''We don't have a record deal, there's no pressure, and there's no management,'' Gibbs says the afternoon before the band is scheduled to fly to a gig in Spain. ''It's a more natural process. It's solely for ourselves, so it's a little bit freer.''

The ''it'' Gibbs is talking about is ''Pacific Ocean Blues,'' the first new Gigolo Aunts album in more than three years to be issued in this country (it came out last year in Spain). No wonder he sounds relaxed. Not so long ago, Gibbs wasn't sure there ever would be another album. Though no one actually uttered the words, his uncertainty had been shared by his songwriting partner and oldest friend, bassist Steve Hurley, as well as by drummer Fred Eltringham and guitarist Jon Skibic.

The Aunts had toured long and hard behind their terrific 1999 album, ''Minor Chords and Major Themes,'' only to see it go nowhere commercially in the United States (it fared better overseas, says Gibbs). The disc, a textbook example of jangle-pop perfection writ in rich harmonies and hooks, had come out on Counting Crows leader Adam Duritz's label. More than ever before, the band was primed for the mainstream breakthrough they'd been flirting with ever since they'd released ''Flippin' Out'' on the major label RCA in 1994.

''Minor Chords'' was, says Gibbs, the album he and Hurley had dreamed of recording since they were teenagers together playing in junior high school cover bands. ''We really put our heart and soul into that record and had been told by everyone, `It's going to do really well, and radio's going to pick up on it.' And it didn't happen. It physically and emotionally exhausted us, so when we finished [the tour], it was kind of an unspoken thing -- we all went our separate ways,'' says Gibbs, 37.

For the past couple of years, band members, three of whom now live in LA (except for Eltringham, who lives in New York), have set their sights on other goals, other musical outlets, other distractions. Gibbs wrote songs for and coproduced the ''Josie and the Pussycats'' movie soundtrack and has contributed music to the hit TV series ''Alias.'' Skibic has played with Afghan Whigs singer Greg Dulli and pop-folk songwriter Miranda Lee Richards. Hurley and Eltringham have also kept busy. In fact, it was through a batch of songs Gibbs and Hurley had written to submit to television shows that the possibility of ''Pacific Ocean Blues'' (the title is a takeoff on an old solo album by late Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson) first took hold. ''We sat around and drank beer. I played him some songs; he played me some songs, '' Gibbs says. The volley of ideas and mutual brainstorming continued, and before the night was through they had resolved to record a low-key acoustic disc to give to friends. Soon after, Skibic heard the songs and concluded they needed an electric guitar. ''We said, `Well, come on over and do it,' '' Gibbs says. ''And then Fred heard it and said it needed `full-on' drums.''

Duritz invited the Aunts to record at the Counting Crows' home studio while that band was on tour. It was the first time the Aunts had been in the same room together in two years. The result was ''Pacific Ocean Blues,'' a vibrant work of California-style dreaming tethered to vivid pop hooks and exuberant arrangements.

There are fizzy, flashy rave-ups such as ''Let Go!'' (featuring a torrid one-take guitar solo by Skibic) mixed in with thoughtful ballads such as the Hurley-sung ''Once in Awhile,'' which shimmers much like the sunset reflecting off the tide on the album cover. In short, it's a quintessential Gigolo Aunts album. When Spain's Bittersweet Records released it last year, the Aunts toured the country and performed in front of enthusiastic crowds. Now, Gibbs says the band is planning a couple of short East and West Coast jaunts behind Q Division US release of ''Pacific Ocean Blues.''

''The way we look at it now is, we'll keep making Gigolo Aunts records for as long as it's fun for us,'' Gibbs says. ''We're never going to be a big-selling band. There might have been a moment when we had the opportunity, but that window has closed on us, barring a miracle. It's not anything we count on anymore. You always cross your fingers, but you don't hold your breath.''

                           

If you’re a Boston band playing pop music, it seems that one of the best ways to attract broader recognition is to head West. Unlikely as it may seem, a number of New England’s finest have made good over the past decade by settling down in Los Angeles, either temporarily or on a long-term basis. It’s the pure pop artists who seem to flourish rather than the louder bands. Transplanted hard-rockers Half-Cocked didn’t make a big splash in LA, and neither have the highly touted punk band Heidi. But there’s a long list of popsters who’ve made good. Lemonheads and Buffalo Tom both made breakthrough albums — It’s a Shame About Ray and Big Red Letter Day, respectively — in Los Angeles with LA producers. Aimee Mann arguably did her best work as a Bostonian, but she didn’t become a critic’s darling until she went West. Mann’s one-time partner, Jon Brion, could barely get arrested when he led the Boston band World’s Fair, but he’s now a star producer and cult-hero solo artist in LA. Kay Hanley still lives in town, but a trip to California gave her a big breakthrough with the Josie & the Pussycats soundtrack. Hanley’s former bandmate, Stacy Jones, has been threatening to score a mainstream breakthrough with his LA-based band, American Hi-Fi. And the Cavedogs created a storm when they played their first reunion show in Hollywood — two-thirds of the band now live there.

More recently, a move to California has given a new lease on life to Gigolo Aunts and Velvet Crush, two bands who went through their career ups and downs when they were based in Boston. Both sound rejuvenated on their latest releases, Gigolo Aunts with Pacific Ocean Blues (which has just been released by the local Q Division label) and Velvet Crush with Soft Sounds (Action/Parasol). Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the mood of both albums is considerably less angst-ridden than the bands have been in the past, particularly the Gigolo Aunts set, on which the once moody quartet sound jangly and sunny.

"It’s snowing in Boston?" asks Aunts singer/guitarist Dave Gibbs over the phone from his West Hollywood apartment. "Well, I’m here on a gorgeous, 82-degree afternoon. Sorry ’bout that, dude." The weather is one reason Gibbs’s world view has brightened. Another is his recent success doing songs for film and TV soundtracks: along with Aunts bassist Steve Hurley, he’s written songs for Felicity, Alias, and an American Eagle Outfitters commercial. Gibbs also had a hand in writing some of the songs Hanley sang in the Josie & the Pussycats movie. And a song of his has been accepted for a forthcoming Hollywood remake of Peter Pan.

"It’s pretty funny," he notes, "when you first pick up a guitar, you think you’re going to set the world on fire. You don’t think, ‘I’m gonna wind up writing a song to satisfy a guy 15 years younger than me, who’s a low-level peon at Disney, telling me to write a song with the word "fight" in it.’ It does pay the rent, though. And it may not be as artistic, but it’s definitely satisfying in a different way. If it’s the pop guys who are doing well out here, I’d say it’s because that’s who concentrated on learning about songwriting. The metal guys can shred like crazy, but if you can write songs, then you can still have a career after you’re done rocking out."

The band were in disarray around the time they left Boston, having come through not one but two major-label deals. They were on RCA in the early ’90s but got dropped after one album; later they released Major Themes & Minor Chords on a short-lived label run by long-time friend Adam Duritz of Counting Crows. Duritz also lent them his studio for the new album, which was recorded strictly for fun when all four members (Gibbs, Hurley, guitarist John Skibic, and drummer Fred Eltringham) were in town. And California references are everywhere: the disc’s title was borrowed from Beach Boy Dennis Wilson, and Gibbs says its 45-minute length is exactly the time it takes to drive from his apartment to Venice Beach.

"We made exactly the record we would have hated when we were kids — a West Coast singer-songwriter album," Gibbs admits. "It didn’t even start as a record; it started as Steve and I getting together and saying, ‘Let’s have a few beers, you play your songs and I’ll play mine.’ Next thing John’s around, he hears it and says, ‘You need more guitars in there.’ Then Fred came around for the hell of it, and we were set."

The band quietly hit town (with a stand-in drummer) for a First Night show recently, but that was their first US date in four years and the last they have planned. The members are now busy doing other projects (Skibic plays with Juliana Hatfield, Eltringham with Ben Kweller), so it’s more a group of friends than a full-time band. Gibbs also has a solo project, Kid Lightning, that he plays the local clubs with. "We never made any decision to move the band out here — after the Minor Chords tour, we still loved each other a ton, but everybody was also in the mood to get away from everybody else. Now that things are smoother, I feel like it’s simple: I can either hang out with my friends in the freezing cold or I can do it out here."

IT’S NO WONDER that Velvet Crush were in a hurry to get out of Providence, where they lived during their brief major-label tenure. I’d pick their one Epic/Creation release, Teenage Symphonies to God (1993), as the best local power-pop album of its era, even with heavy competition from Buffalo Tom, Juliana Hatfield, Lemonheads, and Letters to Cleo. But whereas all those bands got some national recognition and big headline shows, Velvet Crush could barely fill clubs, even with cult heroes Tommy Keene and Mitch Easter as part-time members.

"We were a little bummed that we could never build the big local momentum," drummer Ric Menck explains. "The real lure of Los Angeles for me was the possibility of session work, and that you can play with more people because things are constantly happening. There was a lot that I loved about living in Providence. I liked hanging out at In Your Ear Records and poking through the stacks for hours. But in New England you’re fighting the elements a lot more, and there aren’t a lot of musical possibilities outside of being in a band. I wasn’t interested in playing the same clubs up and down the East Coast anymore — we’d played ’em so many times that it just wasn’t interesting."

The band split town five years ago, with their line-up pared down to Menck and singer/bassist/guitarist Paul Chastain (guitarist Jeffrey Underhill, who’d just become a father, opted to stay behind). Chastain is now back in his old home town of Champaign, Illinois, but Menck went to LA and flourished. In addition to his ongoing gig in Matthew Sweet’s band, he snagged a 1998 tour with Liz Phair, her last to date. He joined Gigolo Aunts for a Spanish tour last year, then went back to Europe in Marianne Faithfull’s band but left before she hit America, saying, "Her personality was just too intense for me." He now runs the Action Musik label, which puts out Velvet Crush records along with choice reissues. Last year he reissued a cult classic of ’60s psychedelia, the Action’s Rolled Gold, and he’s planning to expand into books and DVDs.

The irony is, now that Velvet Crush aren’t a full-time career for either member, they’ve become been more prolific than ever. Along with a handful of reissues, there have been two new albums since the LA move: 1999’s Free Expression and last October’s largely acoustic Soft Sounds, both of which tone down the brittle guitars of the band’s Northeast period in favor of a classic, California-style pop sound. Soft Sounds even includes a Fleetwood Mac cover. Menck and Chastain are now holed up in Illinois making two new albums, one a fully produced Velvet Crush disc (with ex-Wilco member Jay Bennett guesting), the other an experimental side project. And they’re planning to tour for the first time since the mid ’90s.

"Hey, there’s no reason not to do this until it’s literally impossible to do so," Menck points out. "Paul and I have been playing together for 17 years. That’s a long time. I don’t know if I’d say we’re underappreciated. To me it feels just about right. I never wanted to be big — the whole idea of being rich and famous is repulsive to me. The economy’s crappy, and people are suffering, but you’re less affected when you live on the fringes. I thought making books and DVDs would be impossible to do, but it doesn’t even cost that much."

The idea of Menck as a star sideman and entrepreneur will seem only a little strange if you remember his persona from Velvet Crush shows. He was always the band’s loose cannon, the one who’d disrupt sets by coming down from the drum riser and expounding at will. "It’s true," he laughs. "I totally crushed whatever crazy persona I had then. Maybe it was time to grow up and get more serious. But now I get to hang out with my friends and create things with them, and that’s the payoff."

                           

Like heavy metal, power pop refuses to die, and the Gigolo Aunts, one of the genre’s keenest proponents, are still making records. The former Boston quartet (they’re now based in LA) follow up 1999’s glossy Minor Chords and Major Themes with an effervescent batch of crunchy rockers and willowy ballads. Originally begun as an acoustic project by a band whose members were exhausted after touring behind Minor Chords and Major Themes, Pacific Ocean Blues soon took on the added heft of electric guitars and walloping drums. The result is a bright and shiny album in which even the bitterest pill has a sugar coating.

The opening "Hello" is a revved-up pop nugget that leads with its hook. It segues smoothly into "Mr. Tomorrow," another creamy blast of unadulterated pop. The rest of the disc is packed with tuneful harmonies and well-crafted hooks, from the upbeat, horn-punctuated "Let Go!" to the yearning title track. There’s also the majestic "Lay Your Weary Body Down," a gentle number embellished with sweeping strings. It’s too bad that just as they decided to take some time off from touring, the Gigolo Aunts had to go and release one of the best albums of their career.