Rooney hang out at the beaches of California before heading out on tour again. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP

Credit: Steve Schirra

Ben Lee and Rooney Playing with John Ralston Where? House of Blues in Cleveland When? Saturday, November 4 at 10 p.m. How much? $17

Spring conjures up many things — rain, slightly warmer weather and, in 2007, a new Rooney album.

To prepare, the California band is currently touring with Australian musician Ben Lee.

“We haven’t even started recording yet,” lead singer Robert Carmine said. “It was like, let’s wait till we have everything perfect before we put out an album.”

The album, tentatively titled Dos!, will reflect on how the band has changed and solidified since their 2003 self-titled debut.

Carmine said the band’s first album was “a compilation of the last five years, and kind of thrown together.”

The group intends on having a darker and edgier sound on Dos!, but fans will have to wait several months to hear the difference.

The changes mostly come from growing up on the road, Carmine said. The band has been touring constantly since the release of their album, with big bands such as Weezer, The Strokes, as well as the reincarnation of Lollapalooza in 2003.

“It was so cool to play (the) main stage,” he said.

Carmine said they promise not to disappoint long-standing fans on this tour.

“You’re not gonna have a bad time,” he said. “(It’s been) tough deciding if we’re going to play old or new stuff.”

He also said that they have a great show planned for Saturday at the House of Blues.

“We’re closing,” he said, “and Ben’s gonna do a song with us.”

He promises they’ll play mostly older songs so fans can hear something they’re familiar with and can sing along to.

Carmine, guitarist Taylor Locke, bassist Matthew Winter and keyboardist Louie Stephens were each born in Los Angeles, where they began performing long before releasing their first album.

They met drummer Ned Brower in high school, and shared a collective love of music, so they started playing together.

“We built a quick L.A. following,” Carmine said, “(and in) 2002 we landed a record deal.”

Before the band’s record deal they were on the silver screen.

“I tried out for (2001’s The Princess Diaries) on a whim,” Carmine said, “and the character happened to be in a band, so I took the guys from the band to appear in the film.”

Carmine said he was proud to be a part of today’s music world.

“The music world is changing,” he said. “(Everyone’s) putting great music out, and it’s part of the world we’re creating.”

Contact ALL correspondent Madelyn Otcasek at [email protected].