Rooney: Calling The World

While most bands its age are chasing the "cool" new-wave and post-punk bands of the late '70s and early '80s, L.A.-based Rooney curls up on a bear-skin rug with its favorite SoCal soft-rock records on Calling The World, its first album in four years. Tossing aside the overbearing Weezer influence from Rooney's debut, singer-songwriter-Hollywood kid Robert Schwartzman—brother of Jason, cousin of Nicolas Cage—adopts the "poor me" lyrical stance perfected by the likes of The Eagles and Toto on Calling The World, shamelessly begging for a little love and understanding on songs like "Love Me Or Leave Me" and "Are You Afraid" The relatively rocking "When Did Your Heart Go Missing" is the catchiest song here, though it might be a little too raucous for sailing or sunset-watching.