Passenger – All the Little Lights

If you haven’t heard of Passenger, chances are you’ve been hiding under a bush for the last year. It’s fair to say the singer-songwriter (otherwise known as Michael Rosenberg) from folk-loving Brighton has put in a lot of graft to get where he is. After going it alone, following the split of the first incarnation of Passenger, Rosenberg busked for a living and played non-stop gigs until he received a leg-up from a helpful friend by the name of Ed Sheeran. 

He released the album All the Little Lights in 2012 and by 2013 his song Let Her Go was dominating the airwaves and worming its way into the nation’s minds, recently earning a nomination for Best British Single at the 2014 BRIT Awards.

All the Little Lights is a simple yet powerful album, dripping with emotion. First track Things That Stop You Dreaming opens with delicate, mournful strings before breaking into a self-affirming mantra: “If you can’t get what you love/ You learn to love the things you’ve got”. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the tone of the album – sincere, pensive and predominantly optimistic.

Let Her Go tugs at the heartstrings, with its tender melody and heart-breaking lyrics, but Circles is really the standout track. Its gentle guitar has a personal feel and the profundity in his lyrics is sure to hold significance for the entire population. Rosenberg’s soft yet powerful voice penetrates through the placid guitar and every word is sung with complete honesty.

There is a naïve quality to Passenger that is very trusting and believable. What’s more, Rosenberg is likeable and relatable – a friendly mate at the pub rather than a flashy celebrity. The album might not be breaking new ground, but Passenger already has a winning formula: uncluttered, sincere guitar songs. All the Little Lights is festival ready – just add mud and warm cider.

Sarah Edmonds 

All the Little Lights was released on 24^th February 2012. For further information or to order the album visit here.

Watch the video for Let Her Go here: