THE ROOM – Caught By The Machine (2019)

“Caught By The Machine” is the title of the just released new album by British Crossover Prog band THE ROOM. An the term ‘crossover’ applies in spades because The Room’s music strongly lean to rock&pop / melodic rock with the proggy arrangements added for substance.

Martin Wilson’s vocals are quite similar to Michael Sadler from Saga, and the songwriting / arrangements too. Add a pinch of Marillion and classic bands from the genre.
There can be a tendency in progressive music to go off on musical tangents which don’t serve a purpose except only to show off the musical proficiency of its composers. Not on “Caught By The Machine”.

Every track here has a powerful hook which pulls the listener right in and makes it accessible to everyone who listens to it, and there isn’t a dull moment where the musicians in the band seek to show off their virtuoso-centric instrumental section: everything is written to serve the song.
With the lyrics constructing a story within each song, the music works as a narrative tool to paint an emotion to work in conjunction with the lyrics.

Despite the majority of the songs running well past the five minute mark, the songs don’t feel overly long, and tracks like ‘Clover’, ‘Drowning In Sound’ and ‘Vanished’ show us how it’s properly done with the sonic trademarks of Rush, Journey, and Kansas making appearances in the form of classic synthesizers, bluesy melodic guitar riffs & solos and narrative structures.
‘Drowning in Sound’ is the band’s self-proclaimed epic track, and the first one on the album to approach and break the 8 minute mark. However, it’s very easy listening and entertaining.

“Caught By The Machine” is just a downright fun and very enjoyable listen. It’s an album the listener can just lose themselves in with some throwbacks to golden eras of progressive rock to spice up the melodic rock / rock&pop nature of the songs.
Really well written and produced, you’ll be caught by The Room’s machine and you won’t want to leave.
Highly Recommended

01 – Bodies On The Road
02 – Run
03 – Broken
04 – The Golden Ones
05 – Just Walk Away
06 – Drowning In Sound
07 – Clover
08 – Vanished
09 – It’s Not My Home
10 – Bloodstream

Martin Wilson – lead vocals
Chris York – drums, percussion and vocals
Steve Anderson – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Andy Rowe – bass guitar and backing vocals
Mark Dixon – keyboards
Eric Bouillette – guitar, violin

BUY IT !
www.amazon.co.uk/Caught-Machine-Room/dp/B07MCW5FBY
.