Rooney

It’s been a messy four years for L.A.’s Rooney since their full-length in 2003, which later picked up steam due to a cameo on The O.C. and other notable television appearances. For a band with so much clichéd hype, one could assume the generous stretch of time between albums was simply a case of "too much too soon,” of a young band riding the waves of success without honing their chops, but this was not the case. Many complications with their label and unsatisfactory attempts at a sophomore release caused them to switch producers and push back their street date but not once did they compromise their artistic integrity, although it would have probably been less stressful if they had. Instead, what they give their confused fans is a fresh set of catchy summer rock tunes homemade for friends on beaches with sunglasses and flip-flops. Rooney may not own the rights to their sunny pop (credit is obviously due to the likes of the Beatles, the Beach Boys and Blur) but they manage to revamp classic rock styles and pair them with electronic flashes and gutsy, undeniably passion filled antics that make listeners completely comfortable yet still on the edge of their seats. And do they ever deliver! "I Should’ve Been After You” has an opera-tinged vocal melody, with harmonies just as potent as a song by the Sparks. The newest single, "When Did Your Heart Go Missing?,” is perfectly catchy and won’t get annoying even when played excessively on the radio. Rooney are talented masters of classy rock pop and these songs are worth the prolonged wait.