Passenger – Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted

The latest offering by Passenger (Mike Rosenberg), originally intended for release in May 2020, is perhaps not the most positive album for the New Year, but it delivers several soulful tracks for solace at a difficult time. The Brighton-born songwriter stays true to form with an album that, while it isn’t his most memorable, contains songs that have a quality of having existed for years as ballads. 

Inspired by Rosenberg’s romantic life, or rather lack of it, the record is comprised of a collection of songs about loneliness and lost love, populated by drunken, broken-hearted characters. When the pandemic struck, Rosenberg added tracks written during lockdown, a notable inclusion being Sword from the Stone; lyrics such as “Time flies and it’s so slow, I’m up and down” will resonate with many people’s experience of social isolation, and it’s a great complement to the existing playlist. With obvious potential appeal, the track has already been remixed (Gingerbread remix), with Ed Sheeran and Joe Rubel producing the exclusive single and Spike Stent mixing.

Passenger has also released a series of videos to accompany his heartbroken musical offering, in which he introduces the characters on the album. A Song for the Drunk and Broken Hearted sets the scene in a part-empty dive bar, where the characters share their sorrows and reminisce about past joys. The video features a joker-inspired character and a colour palette taken straight from Todd Phillips’s film. Suzanne features an elderly woman sitting alone in the bar, who remembers her youth in a tender flashback; the video certainly enhances the song’s tear-jerker potential. Remember to Forget has a man who’s had one too many to drink and refuses to call it a night – not quite as romantic but certainly relatable. 

The album is set to release virtually, and, with a live performance filmed at the Royal Albert Hall to be broadcast on 10^th January, Passenger has joined the legions of artists finding innovative ways to continue to perform for the masses during the pandemic. Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted is certain to be a hit with the musician’s existing fans (though it’s difficult to say if there will be a stand-alone track with the same reach as Let Her Go), and it’s a pleasure to listen to for those who might be less familiar with his work.

Georgie Cowan-Turner

Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted is released on 8^th January 2021. For further information or to order the album visit Passenger’s website here.

Watch the video for the single A Song for the Drunk and Broken Hearted here: