Though Rosenberg now lives in Sydney, the merry banjo and graceful guitar on All the Little Lights make the kinds of sounds more typically associated with a Scottish bar or an Irish cobblestone street.
The first track, “Things That Stop You Dreaming,” opens with a somber cello imitating the deep sea. Rosenberg’s lively voice keeps the song hopeful as he sings “This boat may sink, but I’m not going to rock it ‘cause the sea doesn’t know my name.” The song is Rosenberg’s claim that life doesn’t owe him anything so he will make the best of what he’s got.
From there All the Little Lights continues to rely on Rosenberg’s earnest and sometimes trembling voice to spearhead such topics as never appreciating what you have until it’s gone and insecurity when pursuing relationships. At times, the album infuses Eastern European horns as well as Rosenberg’s sense of humor as he jokes on “Staring at the Stars” that “we put three sugars in our tea, sit and watch daytime TV and laugh at moms who don’t know who the father is.”
Rosenberg’s British accent is thick throughout the entire record, making All the Little Lights a true European folk album that is fun to sing along with. It’s also a great album to drink with and use to delineate the events of your own life in the midst of an autumn breeze.
Photo taken from passengermusic.com.
