"Room to Roam" is the fifth studio album by the Waterboys, released on October 2, 1990. Continuing the folk rock sound established in their previous album, Fisherman's Blues, it received mixed critical responses and achieved lower commercial success, peaking at #180 on the Billboard Top 200. Despite this, some critics have described it as a "Celtic rock classic."
The album is named after a passage from George MacDonald's book Phantastes, and features a cover designed by Simon Fowler. It was recorded at Spiddal House in Galway, where the band had previously recorded Fisherman's Blues. Notably, fiddler Steve Wickham, who had influenced their sound, left the band shortly before the album's release.
Frontman Mike Scott expressed disappointment with the album's reception, citing it as his favorite and emphasizing its significance. He wished it had been recorded live and felt the arrangements and track order could have been improved.
Key tracks include "A Life of Sundays," which reached #15 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart, and "The Raggle Taggle Gypsy," a traditional folk ballad that became emblematic of the band's sound during this period. Other songs explore themes of love and the beauty of spring in Spiddal, blending folk elements with influences from various musical styles.
Room to Roam was remastered in 2008 with additional tracks and later, a comprehensive box set documenting the band's sessions was released in 2021.
