Genre:Rock
After keeping things under wraps for years, this spring Robert Schwartzman’s going public with Rooney’s newest album, Washed Away. In many ways, the fourth record under Rooney represents the band’s next act: as an all-inclusive solo project. To call it a labor of love is a serious understatement. Schwartzman wrote, produced, and performed all of the songs himself, holed up in his home studio and making hundreds of tweaks along the way. “I learned that if you keep pushing yourself then maybe something better can happen,” he says of the painstaking process making the album. Schwartzman intends to make something tangible and long-lasting. Consider this a refreshing antidote to the disposable pop music machine.It would be easy to try to replicate the band’s past hits, like 2003’s “Blueside” “I’m Shakin,” or the popular 2007 track “Where Did Your Heart Go Missing?” However, Schwartzman sees Rooney’s latest incarnation as an entirely new project that builds off its history. “I wasn’t happy not making Rooney records,” he explains of the hiatus. “Rooney is my baby and I really love it and I miss it.” In fact, Schwartzman says that half of the songs were recorded as an EP, which he sat on for years, unsure of the next steps. It wasn’t until he was jamming with a group of friends that he realized it was time to kick Rooney back into gear. And this time around, there’s plenty to love, for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.Loaded with guitar-driven melodies and anthemic choruses, Washed Away treads the line between feeling both familiar and entirely fresh. Need proof? Just take the first single, “My Heart Beats 4 U” which was co-written alongside Travis Clark from We The Kings. With a euphoric vibe and a chorus that immediately makes you want to stand up and throw your hands in the air, the banger is the ultimate introduction (or re-introduction) to Rooney. “I go to a lot of sporting events, and there’s sort of a ‘We Will Rock You’ kind of beat to the song,” Schwartzman says of the inspiration. “I love where people get involved in songs; sometimes it’s the most simple things, like the hook, which grabs you.”
In true Rooney fashion, even the breakup songs have an irresistible, sing-along quality to them. Schwartzman recorded the track “Why” with his friend, the LA singer Soko, as his first female duet. The song hinges upon the painful idea of a relationship ending, but this heavy message comes juxtaposed with a head-bobbing pop beat. “I have a hard time about writing how things are so great,” he says. "I feel like it’s more interesting to have problems.” The sound itself might not be a huge departure from the Rooney the audience already loves, but unlike Rooney’s first two records, Rooney and Calling The World, this one has no major label ties.
This DIY quality allows Washed Away to serve as a direct line between artist and fans. What’s more, Schwartzman has made it a priority to create this record independently and wholeheartedly—even between his other projects, like scoring the 2013 Gia Coppola movie Palo Alto, collaborating with other artists like Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato, and writing his first feature film.
Fortunately, Schwartzman’s perfectionism pays off. “There’s a lot of noise out there, but I think that if we stay the course and stay true to the integrity of the band, good things will come in time,” he explains.