Four years ago when The O.C. mania was taking the Indie-Rock world by storm Rooney looked to be that next big thing. Their Weezer guitar licks mixed with Beach Boys harmonies fit perfectly at that time for suburbanite tweeners that were searching for an up-and-coming band that they could call their own. Four years later, lead singer Robert Schwartzman (brother of actor Jason) and company finally deliver a follow-up that feels like an all-or-nothing blitzkreig for mainstream stardom.

When you hire a producer like John Fields to helm your record (he of Andrew W.K. and Switchfoot fame) you know what you're getting yourself into. Calling the World feels like one giant, slickly polished calling card to mainstream radio and VH1 screaming "dear God, please put us into heavy rotation!" First single "When Did Your Heart Go Missing?" might just do it for them. Its Hall & Oates meets Rick Springfield bounce has just the formula to make the 16-year-old girlies scream. Most of Calling the World actually feels like a strange time warp back to slick 80's produced material. "Are You Afraid?" and "I Should Have Been After You" are so Jeff Lynne/ELO it's ridiculous and "Don't Come Around Again" could have come right off of Cheap Trick's Dream Police record. Mind you that I have a problem with any of the above.

It's the second half of the album that's one giant stinker. "Paralyzed" has some of the worst lyrics heard this year with Schwartzman trying to get across just how much a girl has gotten to him. When he spouts "I can't feel my thighs or my hips, my gut or my coccyx" I couldn't help but scoff aloud. "All In Your Head" is equally abysmal with Schwartzman stating to a lady "You need somebody nice, somebody with patience and a big fat wallet to pay for all your expenses." Goodness. Calling the World has its moments but they're frontloaded in the first half. I can handle all the lowest common denominator pandering and lyrical banality as long as it's catchy and breezy throughout, but the second half of the record is far too trite to recommend that the world call on Rooney's new album for more than a couple of spins at most.