Michael
Rosenberg, better known as Passenger, is no newcomer to the music business.
“All The Little Lights” exploded him into the awareness of the general music
public, and deservedly so. But those who thought he might be a new to the game,
were mistaken. Michael had been busking the streets of many a town around the
globe, played every show from coffee houses, pubs, clubs to festivals. “All The
Little Lights” was his fourth album. Seeing someone work hard for years,
singing songs from the heart to finally get the recognition they deserve does
put a smile to my face.
We
have all heard about that dreaded “second album syndrome”. Weirdly Passenger
had that glooming over his fifth album “Whispers”. Would he be able to deliver
the goods after his “breakthrough” album? But Michael has been churning songs
long before his success and I am glad to hear he hasn’t suddenly decided to
“change the plan” after it either. I had high hopes for the Whispers. What
struck me in Passenger’s music was the songwriting, especially the tension to
detail in the lyrics. It seems every line is well thought out. There are no
fill in lines, every word has a meaning, which is what the songwriting should
be all about.
The
opening track “Coins in the fountain” has a great rhythm and very similar sound
scape you got used to in “All The Little Lights” to reassure you that this is
going to be a solid Passenger album. And on the second track “27″ Michael
spells it all out: “The only thing I know, the only thing I get told, I’ve
gotta sell out if I wanna get sold”. There is also this great quality to his
music where from time to time he structures songs in a way that makes them
sound like older folk songs, but still with a modern twist. The real gems for
me though are the story songs on the album (I’m a sucker for story songs) like
“Bullets” and “Riding To New York” where man is on his way to see his family
one last time after he has been told he is dying from lung cancer. What really
gets me is how many of the songs are so directly about Michael, but they still
translate in to something universal and something we all can relate to, a sign
of a true artist.
And
for the guitar enthusiasts out there, Michael’s understated and extremely well
controlled fingerpicking lays a foundation for most of the tracks on the album.
“Whispers”
is a great Passenger album, filled with songs that will give you chills if you
listen to them late at night with headphones on, which I highly recommend.
Whether you are a Passenger fan for a long time, or only discovered him after
“All The Little Lights” you will not be disappointed with “Whispers”
J.P. Kallio is a singer / songwriter / coffee
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