Loved their debut, and I love what I've heard of this followup. Excellent '70s-flavoured power pop. The cover art has been done with a "pre-owned" effect to make it look like an old vinyl record jacket.



>> Rooney is: Ned Brower - Drums, backing vocals Taylor Locke - Guitars, backing vocals Robert Schwartzman - Vocals, Guitar Louie Stevens - Keyboards Matthew Winter -- Bass

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. <<

Audio samples and a complete tracklisting are available at Amazon, where the album is currently on sale for $8.99:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R7I38W/?tag=imwan-20

Don't forget- this week only Rooney is $6.99 at Circuit City. I plan to pick up my copy this evening.

Best Buy bonus track: Get Away
iTunes bonus track: Sleep Song
Target bonus track: Jump in My Bed

Other stores (Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble) have stickers touting Deluxe Edition featuring ringtones and wallpaper, but apparently no extra music.

the cover looks like the first doors album.

renny

I may be mistaken, but isn't this only a download link and not actually on the CD itself?

You are correct

I wish someone would have mentioned bonus tracks before I got my copy at CC. I could have price matched it at BB...
I was listening to the CD over lunch. Upon first listen, it sounds like an anonymous early 80s pop band. Kinda like Icecicle Works or something. It's not bad but indistinguishable so far...

All the bonus tracks are downloads. The consensus from the Rooney board seems to be that "Get Away" (the Best Buy track) is the best of the three, so if you're only going to buy one...

The first album ended up being released in the UK with two extra tracks several months later. It might be worth waiting a little while to see if a foreign pressing collects up all these bonus tracks on CD proper.

(I hate this style of marketing so much ... are we going to be expected to buy 5 versions of every new album just to get all the tracks?)

The Best Buy version I got (with my Circuit City price match) doesn't have Get Away.
The packaging makes it look like there are 2 bonus tracks (When Did Your Heart Go Missing & I Shouldve Been After You), a free ringtone and cell phone wallpaper, but the only thing I seem to have access to is the ringtone and wallpaper.

... and, sure enough, Rooney's second album has been released in the UK with different cover artwork and both "Get Away" and "Jump In My Bed" as bonus tracks:



1. Calling The World
2. When Did Your Heart Go Missing?
3. I Should've Been After You
4. Tell Me Soon
5. Don't Come Around Again
6. Are You Afraid?
7. Love Me Or Leave Me
8. Paralyzed
9. What For
10. All In Your Head
11. Believe In Me
12. Help Me Find My Way
13. Get Away - UK Bonus Track
14. Jump In My Bed - UK Bonus Track

Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000S9UA4Y/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000S9UA4Y/?tag=imwan-21

Rooney has released an additional song, a most excellent cover of Alphaville's "Forever Young," as the b-side to the iTunes single for "I Should've Been After You." FY is available as a single track without having to buy the "A" side.