MIDDLETOWN - Despite the title of this LP, there is nothing ‘little’ about the power and emotion Passenger’s All the Little Lights unleashes.

       Mike Rosenberg, a.k.a Passenger, appeared in the night sky in a flash of light. Well, not really. In fact the LP was released way back in February 2012 and â€�"Let Her Go,” the quiet power ballad that is all over the Internet and radio, was actually released in July of that same year. So to say that Passenger is an overnight sensation is a stretch by any means.

       Rosenberg has actually released three LP’s before Lights, dating back to 2009 and, until the success of the single â€�"Let Her Go,” Rosenberg was still busking for money (for those of you who don’t know the term, it means playing music for voluntary donations in the street or in subways). That being said, his hard work and determination has returned sevenfold.

       This latest effort is a magic mix of pop and folk music. The opener, â€�"Things that Stop You Dreaming,” gives a nice intro to Rosenberg’s lyrics and appealing, albeit quiet, voice. Rosenberg told Rolling Stone Magazine that online comments from fans compared his voice to that of a â€�"14-year-old emo girl” and a â€�"Hobbit.”

       â€�"Let Her Go” will have you fixed to every word as he shares his heartbreak of a relationship that ended painfully. A soulful piece of folk rock, since 2013 the song has reached number one globally.

       â€�"Staring at the Stars” is upbeat, even though the lyrics are quite sad. â€�"Circles’ is artistry and takes us to a higher level and is undoubtably one of the best tracks on Lights. The romantic â€�"Patient Love” is pure poetry and shines on it’s own.

       â€�"Life is for the Living” proves very strong among the others. The lyrics come down hard and almost force you to think on them: â€�"Life’s for the living so live it or you’re better off dead.”

       â€�"I Hate” is a live cut with a very funny spin to it and you’ll find yourself in agreement with almost everything Rosenberg sings. â€�"Well I hate pointless status updates on Facebook, F.Y.I. we were never ‘m8s’. We pretend to be friends on the Internet when, in real life, we have nothing to say.”

       This is obviously not a politically correct piece of work; this is an honest take on a man sharing his thoughts with those of us who want to listen, while proving that original songwriters do still exist.

      

       Track List

      

       1. â€�"Things That Stop You Dreaming”

       2. â€�"Let Her Go”

       3. â€�"Staring at the Stars”

       4. â€�"All the Little Lights”

       5. â€�"The Wrong Direction”

       6. â€�"Circles”

       7. â€�"Keep on Walking”

       8. â€�"Patient Love”

       9. â€�"Life’s for the Living”

       10. â€�"Holes”

       11. â€�"Feather on the Clyde”

       12. â€�"I Hate” (Live from The Borderline, London)

      

       UPCOMING EVENTS

      

       Mohegan Sun

       Darius Rucker plays the Sun March 28. Rucker’s arguably one of the most applauded singles of the year, â€�"Wagon Wheel,” has helped the platinum-selling entertainer earn multiple nominations from the CMA and ACA Awards for his third chart-topping country album, True Believers.

      

       Oakdale

       On March 8 and 9, Demi Lovato brings her â€�"Neon Lights Tour” to Connecticut for two nights.

      

       Shubert Theater

       Broadway’s hit musical STOMP plays the Shubert March 28 through 30. It’s explosive, inventive, provocative, witty and utterly unique--an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered armfuls of awards and rave reviews and has appeared on numerous national television shows.

       The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments--matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps--to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. Year after year, audiences worldwide keep coming back for more of this pulse-pounding electrifying show.