Doom Pop! The Room

Doom Pop!, more like Boom Pop! looking at the sleeve. At least that's the conclusion that I arrived at after listening to The Room's Doom Pop! album for the first time. The Room lays down an atmosphere from long ago. The days in the 1980s that should the sky have come down, we would not all be wearing a blue hat, but would have been covered in the fallout from armageddon day. That day never came in the 1980s. I never expected it to happen then. After all "the Russians love their children too", as Sting taught us. Come 2026 and for the first time in my life I have a feeling I may have to live through a war any way. I doubt if Vladimir Putin loves his children, let alone his countrymen's.

Viewed from this vantage point it is only befitting that The Room returns from the mist of time with its new album. In no way can happy notes be found on Doom Pop!. All is doom and gloom. It is in the singing of David Jackson. Always in his darker register, with a faint hint of what he would have sounded like when the band released its first records in the 1980s. It is in the pace of the music. Near all songs are in a dragging mid-tempo, allowing for darkness to seep in more easily. All instruments are played to support that mood at their best abilities. Above all the topics addressed make Doom Pop! a protest album for the 2020s. The Room is not beating about the bush where they stand. It can't be accused of being hedonistic, as many artists seem to be in the 2020s.

At the same time, there is also a tongue in cheek level. "Drill Baby Drill" is poking fun at you know who. "I don't even like my grandkids ... maybe they can live on Mars". Go through the album and you will find a few more of these puns with a very serious undertone. The grandads and grandma playing in The Room know where their loyalty lies. "Drill baby drill, Maybe you should live on Mars" is their message. The lead guitar part and the keyboards give the song something light as well. Some more poking fun?

Musically, Doom Pop! is an anachronism, as it belongs to an era long gone. What The Room has done well, is to bring it into the 20s because of the topics. That makes it a very contemporary album, worth to get to know and not just for somebody who lived through the 80s like me.

The Room formed in 1979 and released three albums before breaking up in 1985. The output including the single from this record, 'Things Have Learnt to Walk That Ought to Crawl', that the band re-recorded for this album. It stands out still, as it is a strong song. Since reforming the band released another three albums, including Doom Pop! The line up includes three original members.

Until recently, I had never heard of The Room and I have to say that I simply like what I'm hearing on Doom Pop! It is time to sort of revise my views on 1980s music. I was totally turned of from a lot of music at the time. Even my favourite bands and singers were producing worse and worse album at the time, until 1989. In hindsight, it wasn't all bad. Certainly different, and that clinical sound is still an issue though. I can't tell what The Room sounded like then. I may take a listen soon. This album works though. There's just enough light in the doom and often it is that keyboard played by Ethan Kyme that does the trick. The following listening sessions learned that not all is darkness. Doom Pop! or Boom Pop!, I'm happy either way.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght