Calling the World - Rooney

Their second album "Calling The World" - a pop-rock manifesto and contribution to the rock-pop body of work initiated by The Beatles and The Beach

Their second album "Calling The World" - a pop-rock manifesto and contribution to the rock-pop body of work initiated by The Beatles and The Beach Boys and propagated by subsequent groups such as Queen, E.L.O., Cheap Trick, The Cars, Jellyfish and Weezer.

Lead singer Robert Schwartzman wrote all of the songs on "Calling the World" after searching for a sound that would at once rock and "also make people dance."

The first single from "Calling the World" is "When Did Your Heart Go Missing?" - an effervescent head-bobber with an infectious chorus. The colorful video was shot in various locations in Los Angeles by noted director Benny Boom (50 Cent, Missy Elliot) and depicts a day in the California life of Rooney, complete with afternoon wake-up, beach bar-b-q house party, classic car Hollywood cruise and late-night Silver Lake club romp.

Other songs from the album include the mini-rock opera "I Should Have Been After You," "Believe In Me," a driving synth-propelled call for a leap of faith, "What For" a breezy and melodic slice of friendly advice, and "Help Me Find My Way," a poignant ode to Robert's late father.

Producer John Fields (Andrew W.K., Switchfoot) recorded "Calling The World" with Rooney in Los Angeles by harnessing the band's expert musicianship via live takes and extemporaneous improvisations, at times even using a laptop to capture the urgency of the moment. "Rooney" sold 400,000 albums of their debut and toured extensively across the United States and Europe. The members of Rooney recently hosted a Monday-night residency at Los Angeles' renown Roxy nightclub during the entire month of April 2007 so they could play their new "Calling the World" material for their loyal, hometown fans first. They were joined on stage by friends to perform covers including Phantom Planet, The Donnas, The Chapin Sisters, Ben Lee, Susana Hoffs (who performed Walk Like An Egyptian with the band), and Cherrytree Records label mates The Feeling.

Rooney released their eponymous, debut album in 2002 when the median age of the band was 19 years old.

Rooney is a favorite of other bands who are constantly asking to hit the road with them. They've toured with Weezer, The Strokes, All American Rejects, Travis, Pete Yorn. In May 2007, Rooney embark on a club tour of the UK and Continental Europe and return to the US for a national tour as opening act for Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas.


Rooney's second CD, Calling the World, contains a first single--"When Did Your Heart Go Missing?"--that starts out with a guitar riff so familiar, you swear that it must be a cover tune. By the chorus, however, the old-school, Wham-sounding melody (with frontman Robert Schwartzman emulating an early-day George Michael) reminds you that this is familiar just because it is simple, straight-up pop-n-roll. "I Should've Been After You" is a catchy little ditty that shows the extent of their love for '60s British invasion pop, albeit with a hefty dose of Robbie Williams-esque open-throated melodies on the side. Rooney's music--and even their cover art--tends to hearken '60s bands such as The Monkees and Herman's Hermits in terms of their sugar-sweetness, while "Paralyzed" and "All In Your Head" changes things up a bit with a nu-wave Cars sound. Like sugar, the disc might provide occasional moments of elation, but much of their music ("Calling the World", "Tell Me Soon", "Love Me or Leave Me") lacks the proverbial protein to sustain serious listeners for more than just a few pleasant minutes. --Denise Sheppard

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Rooney

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