‘90s babies have long awaited their nostalgia golden era, and it has finally made its comeback, which means this era and most aspects of it are back to retaliate. Good news for those who refused to stray away from their punk-infused dance vibes, Rooney has finally reemerged with their first album in nearly six years — “Washed Away,” which beckons for those boyband loving audience members to dig for their tour t-shirts stowed away in those dusty boxes in the garage.
Rooney knew just how to find that sweet spot right in between pop and rock, allowing their fans to dance like no one was watching and sing along to fresh, yet familiar pop tunes, all while letting their hair down to headbang to those gritty rock-infused guitar solos.
The reality and rawness of each song is what keeps Rooney fans craving more and frontman Robert Schwartzman revealed that their latest sound isn’t so much of the smooth-faced and floppy-hair vibe that is used to be circa ‘Where Did Your Heart Go Missing’, but a little bit more scruffy and rough around the edges, perfectly appropriate for the fan base that grew up with the band.
With 90’s nostalgia heavily fueling the band’s latest album, “Washed Away”, Schwartzman revealed just how the band was able to incorporate those vibes while focusing on a modern sound: “The instruments that I use to write songs with, they sort of dictate the song and where it’s going.” he exclaimed.
“I was writing a lot of this record on electric guitar, which is why that 90’s sound came to mind because I grew up in the 90’s and it was the first time I started going to concerts. I just felt the power of the bands on stage, you don’t forget those shows,” said Schwartzman.
The writing process for Rooney is less complicated and more lush and juicy and personal, giving their listeners more of a reason to keep coming back for more.
There is an undeniable difference between the sound that resonates off of a recorded album and the sound that seemingly hits you in the face at a live show- and there are bands that join forces to perform live, while others collaborate to share their music with the masses via the internet, Schwartzman exclaimed that he started his band to perform live and share his own project among the music scene around him.
“There’s a live feeling about shows that just sold me,” Schwartzman said. “I don’t know if I could ever make a record and not play a show- They have to be treated in completely different ways. There’s a part of me that is a Purist and doesn’t want to be somebody that tricks the audience or create a false sense of reality. I treat live music as a way to express energy and excitement, and that’s the message I want to get across.” he finished.
Sticking to his roots and not straying from what he knows, Robert Schwartzman has reintroduced himself in the most honest way possible and this will undoubtedly shine through his next performance at Backbooth on Monday, October 17. Tickets available here.
Photo courtesy of Jill Segal
