The day I found out Rooney was back, was the day my heart was no longer missing. I also probably fainted a little bit and decided that I should not go outside for a couple days, so I could fully wrap my head around the fact that one of my favorite bands from high school was back and just as good as ever. Not only that, but Robert Schwartzman is still who I blame for my romantic failures because of his role as Michael Moscovitz in The Princess Diaries. Which is also actually my favorite San Francisco-based movie, and I am not joking or over-exaggerating or ever letting it die.

Rooney may have been the soundtrack to my teen dreams but Robert Schwartzman didn’t stop making music after the last release, Eureka in 2010. Robert Coppola Schwartzman is a musician, writer, director, producer, composer, and actor. Coming from his extremely talented and creative family (he’s related to the Coppolas), it’s no surprise that he’s capable of so much greatness, and hasn’t given up on it. I have never given up on it either, especially with my monthly ritual watching of The Princess Diaries on silent while listening to the 2003 Rooney album.

So of course, I was excited to hear that Rooney was back, and coming to San Francisco. I never got to see Rooney when I was a teen, so this was a blessing to me. Te new album Washed Away, which will be out on May 6, is everything I’ve loved about Rooney and so much more. Their music has always had some nostalgia mixed with angst-like positivity, and this new album still holds what made me fall in love with them as a band in the first place. This doesn’t mean that listening to this album feels like 2003 again, no, it feels like now.
So if you want to be present in your nostalgic angst, not only should you pre-order that album, but try and go out and catch Rooney on tour.