Singles

Passenger - Do What You Like

Paul Cook 02/07/2007

Rating: 4/5

Urgency and melancholia rarely go hand in hand, but Mike Rosenberg's vocals in 'Do What You Like' are splendidly relaxing, yet drive home a tale of unrequited love and heartache with passion and sharp emotion.

Passenger have been a band in the making for some years now and this, the first release off the debut album, is a positive sign of things to come. The rest of the tracks on the sampler are similarly emotive. The broken, raw voice that accompanies every delicate riff and melody is something to savour. The music on each track might not be the most innovative nor the most original, but breathe a new life into the soaring pop ballad. Passenger are a refreshing addition to an overly generic genre of music.

'Do What You Like' builds quickly from jolting guitar chords to infrequent drum rolls, reaching the dramatic chorus of an up-tempo melody and wailing electric guitar in the instrumental background. Sounding like a strange, relaxed mix of The Thrills and The View, Passenger have a delicacy and gentleness that, with more catchy tracks like 'Do What You Like', will take them far.