In retrospect, Room to Roam made complete sense, following Fisherman's Blues, which took several steps from This is the Sea; but these traces are much clearer in light of the remastered F.Blues and of course Too Close to Heaven, where the evolution becomes apparent. But this album seemed like quite a change, even from side two of F.Blues, when it dropped. It proved to be a gem with a few listens, so having it (here as Side One) in greater sound is worth the price. And having the tunes accurate is a help too. Side two is obviously the feature here:
In Search of a Rose: splendid alternate take, showing how well the band indeed played together, how well these instruments layered into beauty.
My Morag: an unreleased gem, a wonderful addition to the library, no mere throw-away by any means. Mike's voice is perfect here and shows just how much these traditional songs were not a stretch for this rocker at all.
Man is in Love alternate: not as effective as Rose, perhaps because the sparse song then suddenly gets Wick's fiddle tossed on it from nowhere, but a useful example of how tunes changed.
Wyndy Wyndy Road: excellent example of Mike's dexterity in taking tunes and applying words - not top notch but a nice addition and helps with context.
Three Ships: "She's All That I Need" tune expanded and wordless, which is slightly long but ends in absolute beauty - that these are just a few instruments producing this otherworldly sound is amazing - true for all the songs, really.
Sunny Sailor Boy: synth? what?? This song seems like something from years later, completely out of place. It is interesting in itself, a nice tune and a departure for Mike, but it doesn't belong here. Maybe I'll warm to it over time...
Sponsored Pedal-Pusher's Blues: Mike has written into his songs much of his tribulations with fame, which is difficult out of context; occasionally it works, even on Lightning, but not really here. It's okay but that's all.
Wayward Wind: I was disappointed first hearing, since I was used to the strong vocal on Live Adventures, but a few listenings reversed that. This is perhaps the best example of what Mike once described as the Waterboys at its best being the blend of his voice and Wick's fiddle - his voice just melts into the instruments perfectly. It doesn't have the ragged tumbling of the live version, but is a wonderful complement to that. Another gem.
Danny Murphy/Florence: the two tunes don't mesh at all - I don't get it at all. Why not Florence separate? The two are okay, but together they are jarring opposites. Danny Murphy is nice enough, though only as filler, though it shows Mike's dexterity in writing music for others' words, as if other examples (Yeats poems) didn't suffice.
Raggle Taggle live: shows the band in great, strong performance - a great addition.
Custer's Blues live: I'm not a fan of this song generally, but live it is much better, for Mike's vocals are not lost as they are on the studio version. Most of the 'blues' songs from the period don't appeal much to me, so don't take it too seriously.
Twa Recruiting Sergeants: priceless vocals from Mike - how did he pull this off?? It may be useful only to show how comfortable he was with traditional music, but that it does spectacularly! It's a fun song, but that's all, nothing great except for context.
Reel and Stomp in the Kitchen: a nice short instrumental, not as good as some (Natural Bridge Blues) but a decent segue
Down by the Sally Gardens: We knew from Stolen Child that Yeats/Scott/Mac Eoin was a deadly force, but this puts the full weight of the Yeats' pathos into the music. The music is gorgeous and perfectly matched for the lyric, everything about it being perfectly rendered. My only complaint is the music should have gone a bit beyond the end of the vocal, for it could have added to the intensity - maybe. In any case, this is the highlight of the album (but that might be because I've had Song for the Life for years...)
Strathspey: Nice enough, sound isn't great or terrible, though it sounds a bit like a nature CD...though that the birds are real is stunning- I think you'd have to be there...
Song for the Life: released on a compilation, this song is a real gem, worth the cost of that album and this. A lovely tune rendered perfectly, with a sense of hope exiting the album...
Kings of Kerry: how could you not like it?
So overall the album is a treasure, with a few to forget. From here the band split, and the Waterboys have not regained this strength. The current lineup is great, but something about this time, with Mike evolving musically at breakneck pace, can't be matched. Over the years, Mike seems to have grown happy with his life calmed, and so I am happy for that and the musical gems that have come about...but this whirlwind of joy is something else completely, a world unto itself of which I'm happy to have recorded here.
It's a shame that Room to Roam isn't better appreciated. Even many Waterboys fans look past this wonderful tour de force, a rich and dazzling pastiche of styles and moods--a kind of electro-Celtic Sgt. Pepper for the 90s. Some fans who were attracted by the somewhat more traditional and stripped-down sound of Fisherman's Blues (perhaps the closest Mike Scott ever got to making a Pogues album) have failed to appreciate Room to Roam's greater experimentation. But as far as whole albums go, for richness and variety of musical styles, as well as sheer poetry and exuberance, I think Room To Roam has a slight edge over Fisherman's Blues.
In fact, Room to Roam is a solid tie for my favorite Waterboys album, along with This is the Sea. There's not a note of RTR that isn't blessed by the goddess, and a number of these songs are among Mike Scott's finest moments, including "Something That is Gone," "How Long Will I Love You," "A Man is in Love," "Bigger Picture" and "Raggle Taggle Gypsy." "Raggle Taggle" in particular is one of Mike's most joyful and electrifying performances on record--it never fails to send me through the roof.
What I love about Room To Roam is that it's wonderfully true to both the traditional folk AND the experimental, electronic impulses in Mike's work. That may be the very thing that alienates some of the folks who were attracted by the more "pure" sound of FB, but for me it's that amazing blend of styles that puts Room to Roam at the top of the Waterboys' canon. Any album that encompasses well-executed traditional Celtic folk like "Raggle Taggle Gypsy," or "Kaliope House," as well as the heartbreaking eloquence of songs like "A Man Is In Love" or "Something That Is Gone" (complete with that stunning backwards saxophone break)--not to mention the Abbey-Road rapture of "Bigger Picture"--well, let me just say that Room To Roam is still one of those rare albums that makes me glad to be alive each and every time I hear it.
This is the first Waterboys album I have heard, over 20 years ago. I appreciate this album more today than the first time I heard it. Nothing compares to shear genius of lyrics, sweet rythms, and variety of musical styles and instruments. You need to listen more closely each time you hear it to really appreciate the talent hear. I cannot recommend this album more. I own both Fishermans Blues and This is the Sea but when it comes to sheer imaginative genius, this album tops all.
Songs about the joys of love and life are found throughout this CD. "A Man is in Love" is simply one of the sweetest songs about that state of being you'll find anywhere, and it's a rare occurrence to hear a man sing about love so simply without an accompaniment of pain and anguish. The CD is filled with many such little delights. Sometimes a bit too light-hearted for its own good, Room to Roam lacks the depth to be a great CD but it's still a great deal of fun.
I enjoy traveling around the world (musically) and seeing just how other countries interpret American popular music. Please take my word, the Japanese and the Germans completely slaughter even the simplest songs. My favorite American popular music from someplace other than the North American continent is Ireland. After all, we have several commonalities: a shared language and a stolen heritage. The Waterboys' Roam To Roam makes good use of many seldom heard instruments: mandolin, whistle, flute, fiddle and standup bass. This CD is a charming and infectious marriage of jigs, folk (American), reels and rock.
The Waterboys are also quite crafty lyricists. You'll discover poetic and provoking lines such as `I'll savoir the softness of summer' (In Search Of A Rose), `I'm starting to see a bigger picture. I'm beginning to colour it' (Bigger Picture) and `I dreamed the wind came to my house' (The Trip To Bradford). `A Man Is In Love' and `How Long Will I Love You' are joyous musical celebrations of life. It's that very joy and honesty which make the Waterboys so compelling. Name one artist who has the integrity to write `America (Ireland) is my heart' (Islandman).
Instead of manufacturing music for dollars, the Waterboys proclaim a zest for life through music. Start each day with `A Man Is In Love,' and you'll step a bit lighter. Go ahead. Allow yourself some Room To Roam.
