Rooney

Things didn’t quite work out for Rooney the way they’d probably hoped. The ultra-hyped L.A. power-pop outfit’s self-titled debut was supposed to put them in the same celeb-tested, fan-approved orbit as singer Robert Carmine’s brother Jason Schwartzman’s old band Phantom Planet. Instead, they’ve been touring the peppy-if-not-adequately-poppy record incessantly since its 2003 release. Hard work: What a bummer! Fellow Angelenos Ozma benefited from an early shout-out from Weezer front man Rivers Cuomo, who recognized flattery in the form of honest imitation. I’ve never not confused openers the Straylight Run with the Starlite Desperation; it says here that members used to be in Taking Back Sunday.