*ALBUM REVIEW*
*Retrieved from Fresh Angles site on July 21st, 2003*

Fusing pop friendly melodies with catchy lyrics and soulful rock beats is often a tiresome and fruitless effort for many of today’s rock bands. However the floppy haired, retro dressed boys of the Los Angeles based band Rooney have been able to successfully create this dynamic sound, which reminds many of the days when the Beatles and the Beach Boys reigned the charts. Already crashing in on the shores of California these young musicians are seeing the high tide in their music approach rapidly. Having recently toured with well known bands such as Weezer, The Strokes, and the Donnas this group of guys have started quite the following, which is only expected to get bigger.

Commencing this compilation of upbeat, adrenaline endorsed melodies is the single “Blue Side,” which keeps you on your toes with its addicting harmonies and guitar strums that pay homage to California beach bums basking in surfer’s paradise. The CD continues with its buoyant tunes in such songs as “Stay Away,” “I'm Shakin'” and “Simply Because,” to name a few. However, in such definite hits such as “Popstars” we see the melodies take back seat to the lyrics which provides us with a full scope of the corruption and money machines that rule the often short lived careers of pop singers.

As the album progresses the carefully syncopated strums of the guitar along with the poignant Lou Reed-esque voice of lead singer Robert Carmine add special touches to the wonderfully crafted CD. Perhaps, yet another unique facet of this CD is it’s eclectic mix of sounds ranging from mellow and emotional tracks such as “Losing All Control” to pulsating and energy packed ones perfectly seen in “Sorry Sorry”.

With overall great melodic tunes that captivate anyone of your manic or quirky moods, this CD has definitely placed happy go lucky music in the limelight once again. Clearly a must have for this summer’s languid beach dweller, it is not hard to see why these boys are becoming a favorite of mine and many who share my passion for slurping on pina coladas and tossing around a beach ball while listening to these “Boys of Summer.”

-Marina Goland