The Room formed in Liverpool in 1979, recorded four John Peel sessions, appeared on The Whistle Test and worked with Television's Tom Verlaine – then split up in 1985. They reformed in 2022, and Doom Pop! is their third album since, out now on 9×9 Records on CD and limited edition mixed eco-vinyl (Darla Records handles it in North America), 11 tracks produced by frontman Dave Jackson and Steve Powell, who's also worked with Michael Head and Echo & the Bunnymen.
New single Magic Games is the lighter moment on an album that's mostly about authoritarianism, disinformation and war. This one goes back to Jackson's grandparents' parlour in the early 1960s – toy knights, a big tin fire engine, Vaughan Monroe singing Ghost Riders in the Sky on the radio, and illustrated history books about the Spanish Armada and Francis Drake.
It's not all sunshine though – there's an appealing darkness around the edges of this song, but the melodies stop it from ever getting oppressive. That contrast gives the track a real richness and depth, and it's the reason it stuck with me after a couple of listens.
Jackson and bassist Becky Stringer are the two still standing from the original line-up, now joined by guitarist Darren Brown, keyboard player Ethan Kyme and original drummer Clive Thomas. Before splitting they'd also worked with John Porter (Roxy Music, The Smiths, Billy Bragg) on 1984's In Evil Hour, and the press release's "for fans of" list reads Echo & the Bunnymen, Gang of Four, The Fall and Public Image Ltd. Since reforming they've already put out two albums – 2023's Restless Fate and 2024's The Telling – both still on Bandcamp alongside Doom Pop!.
Three UK dates coming up – 3 November at The Ferret in Preston (with Swell), 8 November at Preston's New Continental all-dayer, and 13 November at the Dublin Castle in London.