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By Angela V. Ignacio Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--Just when you thought you’ve outgrown bubblegum pop along with pillow fights and pinup posters, along comes a boy band whose music reminds you how fun and carefree those times were -- so much so that it makes you want to skip cramming for finals week and get up close and personal with the boys instead. And that is exactly what this writer did recently with The Click Five, the power pop band responsible for such sunny hits as “Just The Girl,” “Catch Your Wave” and the current chart-buster “Jenny.” The Boston-based quintet dropped by Manila as part of their Asian invasion to promote their sophomore album, “Modern Minds and Pastimes,” along with new vocalist Kyle Patrick. Patrick replaced Eric Dill, who has left the band to pursue a solo career. Whirlwind The boys succinctly sum up the past couple of years in one word: “whirlwind.” From jamming at Imrie House (the apartment building that the guys lived in during their college days) to performing in front of -- and being chased by -- hordes of rabid teenybopper fans across the globe, these guys have come a long way in such a short span of time. The truth is, they’re still more than a little overwhelmed by it. “A lot of these things that we’ve experienced are things that we couldn’t really have dreamed of,” bassist Ethan Mentzer tells 2bU! in an exclusive interview at My Cinema in Greenbelt 3. “It’s kinda flattering to start something in Boston then have it be recognized on the other side of the world. That part’s pretty surreal,” drummer Joey Zehr marvels. Like all the other young foreign bands that graced our shores, they were dumbstruck at the reception they got, from the burly escorts to being mobbed at the hotel. “We’re, like, linking up arms and trying not to get eaten,” adds Zehr with a laugh. Then there’s the fact that all three of their Ayala Malls gigs plus their RX 93.1 live set were totally jampacked. “The fans were amazing,” Mentzer raves. “They were really loud and everybody was singing along… It was pretty cool to experience that.” Of course, we couldn’t resist asking the one question that’s on every starry-eyed teen’s mind: Who, exactly, is Jenny? “It’s symbolic,” answers keyboardist Ben Romans, who penned the song himself. “We’ve all been through that type of relationship -- things hot and cold, coming in and out of your life,” explains Patrick. “I don’t know if any of us have actually been with any Jennies, but Jenny was kind of like a symbol of that relationship, so it could be anyone’s.” Good, clean fun Sure, The Click Five boys may have gotten the mod look down pat with their spiffy suits and messy mop-tops, but they’re far from being lumped into the derogatory “boy-band” category where all the members supposedly do is sway their hips and look pretty (“We’re not that pretty,” Ethan says matter-of-factly, and we all laugh). They actually play their own instruments pretty darn well, having attended the über-prestigious Berklee College of Music before they got signed. The question is, do they sound as good as they look? The Click Five’s signature power pop brand is all about good, clean fun (not the Gym Class Heroes kind, sorry), something parents won’t be scared to have their kids listen to. If we absolutely have to go down the “Hmm, kinda sounds like…” trail, their music might remind you of Fountains of Wayne (remember “Stacy’s Mom”?), or maybe even Rooney with a splash of pure pop. Okay, maybe a tsunami. But, heck, who’s complaining? Either way, it’s like one head-bopping joyride to the beach, stuffed full of sunny harmonies and eardrum-friendly beats. But if you’re a die-hard fan of the first album, “Greetings from Imrie House,” don’t expect the new one to sound as prepubescent. Aside from having a new vocalist and a three-month production timetable for “Pastimes,” the band obviously dug deeper into their rock ‘n’ roll psyche for the latter than they did for “Imrie.” “We may have also been listening to stuff that was a little more experimental,” puts in guitarist Joe Guese. Aside from The Beatles, Tom Petty and The Cars, they’ve added modern rock bands such as Keane, Weezer and Death Cab for Cutie to their eclectic mix of muses. Influences Surprisingly, their all-original song repertoire does show off their decades-spanning influences, from the swingin’ “Headlight Disco” to the synth-slash-new-wave ditty “Addicted to Me” to the more familiar breezy ’90s rock, with Patrick’s emo-pop vocals adding the 21st-century element. A word of caution: If preteen angst-ridden “Jenny” had lovestruck girls vainly trying to change their birth certificates, the mournful single “Empty” will have them tearfully waving lighters in the air… That is, assuming they’re old enough to use one. Growth spurt Despite the apparent musical growth spurt the band has gone through, it doesn’t seem to be affecting their ever-increasing fan base. While Dill may have had effortlessly hit all the high notes, Patrick’s deeper vocals together with the band’s slightly edgier sound are enough to keep their fans from outgrowing them. They may still have a long way to go before joining the rock ‘n’ roll kings of old, but these power pop princes are perfectly happy “growing up” at their own pace, and their loyal subjects aren’t complaining one bit. “The thing about being successful at something is once you’ve been doing it for a while, you can only hope to be better at it. Like with our music, it’s for everyone,” Patrick says. If you’re itching for some fun, feel-good, totally expletive-free music, then The Click Five is just the band you’re looking for. Grab a copy of The Click Five’s newest album, “Modern Minds and Pastimes,” released under Warner Music Philippines. E-mail the author at aoshi_no_miko@atenista.net