'Birthdays' - Keaton Henson

Keaton Henson is a fragile creature. Endearingly shy, he generally avoids playing gigs due to panic attacks and stage fright. Relatively unknown until encouraged by a friend to post his music online, Henson stepped unassumingly into the public eye in 2012, bringing the tragic masterpiece 'Dear...' with him.

Released in February, his second album 'Birthdays' begins with 'Teach Me', a song about not loving someone as much as they love you. Keaton whispers "I'll learn not to look at you with scorn, oh if you promise to never have been born", delicate vocals making even the bitterest line sound sweet. 

'10am Gare du Nord' is quite frankly beautiful; every lyric is heartbreaking. Keaton lays out his vulnerability for all to see, his voice frangible and honest as he sings "Please do not hurt me love, I am a fragile one, you are the light in my eyes. Please do not break my heart, I think it's had enough pain to last the rest of my life". His love life seems to be a long, melancholic river and we're wading through it - the hurt in his voice is apparent, and at times can be quite troubling to listen to.

"If you must die sweetheart, die knowing your life was my life's best part," implores Henson, accompanied by sympathetic guitar and mournful cello during the wonderful 'You'. 
The album features the humble songwriter's latest singles, 'Lying To You' and 'Sweetheart, What Have You Done To Us'; both stunningly poignant and equally woeful. The majority of tracks on the record make it clear that Keaton's heart is as frail as his voice, though not every song is as heavyhearted as these. While his previous album was relentlessly sad, 'Birthdays' offers something slightly different.

'Kronos' is much darker; heavy guitar and a stronger, more resentful Henson. It doesn't seem wrong nor out of character - after hearing all he has suffered, we almost want Keaton to be angry and revengeful.

The album is raw and naked, and the pathos of it is the fact that everything Keaton sings is relatable, universal. Everyone suffers a broken heart at some point in their life, but Keaton transforms pain into something of astounding beauty.