Track Listing

1. In Search Of A Rose
2. Song From The End Of The World
3. Man Is In Love
4. Kaliope House
5. Bigger Picture
6. Natural Bridge Blues
7. Something That Is Gone
8. Star And The Sea
9. Life Of Sundays
10. Island Man
11. Raggle Taggle Gipsies
12. How Long Will I Love You
13. Upon The Wind And Waves
14. Spring Comes To Spiddal
15. Trip To Broadford
16. Further Up Further In
17. Room To Roam

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17819 in Music
• Released on: 1990-09-17
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

CD Description
If one were to divide the Waterboys' career into three parts, ROOM TO ROAM would fall at the end of the middle Irish folk segment. The Waterboys' Scots main man Mike Scott's love for Ireland is expressed in each song--the clearest example being "Islandman". Scott's band includes long-time partner Anthony Thistlewaite, accordion player Sharon Shannon, and renowned fiddler Steve Wickham, who really comes into his own here, contributing his touching "Upon the Wind and Waves".
Notable are a lively take on "The Raggle Taggle Gypsy", "Spring Comes to Spiddal", a spectacularly sprightly ode to the town the album was recorded in, and "Further Up, Further In", a gorgeously catchy song that sets Scott's lyrics to a traditional folk song. Also noteworthy are a pair of beautiful love songs, "A Man in Love" and "How Long Will I Love You?", both of which are sincere enough to make listeners feel they're eavesdropping on a private moment.

Customer Reviews

The unsung king of Ireland says the same thing...
One of the great joys of The Waterboys is that they've triumphantly defied pigeon-holing. With a recording career of nearly 20 years they've covered territory from prog rock to New Romanticism via pure, unashamed acoustic rootsy folk music. Where earlier Waterboys albums were full of "the Big Music" that could be grandiose at best, insufferably pompous at worst, "Room to Roam" is a collection of the short, the simple and the extremely quirky. Acoustic instrumentation, and songs that wouldn't be out of place in the local folk club, dominate, but hints of the trademark Mike Scott "big sound" are everywhere, from the epic "A Life of Sundays" to the infectious "Further Up, Further In" and the heartfelt tavern singalong of "Room to Roam". Gentler touches, such as the beautiful "A Man is In Love", intersperse the album - some songs clock in at half a minute or less! - and give the whole a sunny, straightforward, life-affirming feel. Scott's literary and mythological obsessions crop up every two or three songs - C.S. Lewis being particularly in evidence, as you can tell from "Further Up..." - as he continues his never-ending quest to find the meaning of life; but, although most of the album is about journeying, you're definitely left with the impression that this is a pleasant place to rest.

Songs for the joy of living & loving
So, the "music lover", from Wales finds nothing to reccommend in this album....
For many long-term Waterboys fans however, Room to Roam occupies a special place in our hearts. It's the album that introduced us to the fabulous Sharon Shannon. Trevor Hutchinsons majestic bass (now heard to great effect with Lunasa), Mike Scott's lyrics affectionate and playful (Islandman, Song from the End of the World), and the whole band playing with a zest and sparkle that makes you glad that you woke up again. By all means avoid if you only like your songwriters cynical, embittered, hateful and depressing. Otherwise, "come on in, the Water's lovely"!

Mystical, gaelic, folky rock.
An outstanding album, perfectly capturing a time and place in the ongoing saga of the Waterboys.

Their move to Ireland coloured their "Fisherman's Blues" album, but "Room to Roam" took it to a whole new level. Intimate, full of life, stories, hope, fun, whimsy (and whiskey!) and marvellous soaring folk music - the whole is so uplifting.

A move away from the Big Music - but a truly marvellous album.