Today, acclaimed singer-songwriter Keaton Henson unveils two new singles, the tenderly introspective “Past It” and the biting “Loose Ends”, offering a final glimpse into his forthcoming album Parader, due November 21st via Play It Again Sam. The record marks Henson’s ninth studio album and his first since Somnambulant Cycles (2024), following his comeback single “Lazy Magician,” which earned praise from Rolling Stone UK, The Line of Best Fit, and Stereogum.
Shedding the quiet melancholy that long defined his work, Parader finds Henson embracing the raw, grunge-tinged sounds of his youth. The dual release highlights two sides of this evolution: “Past It” — a lo-fi, nostalgia-laced reflection on ageing as an artist — and “Loose Ends,” a darkly sardonic garage-rock outburst. “This one’s a bit meta,” Henson says of Past It. “It’s me looking at ageing and growing older as a musician. Sometimes you catch your reflection while writing songs and end up wondering if anyone will even hear it.”
In contrast, “Loose Ends” channels a playful edge beneath its distorted grit. “It’s referential of music from my youth — early 2000s American rock bands,” Henson explains. “It’s pretty sarcastic. It’s about feeling like you’re guilting someone into staying with you. It’s pretty snarky, self-loathing and dark, maybe contrasting the fun of the music.”
Together, the tracks underscore Henson’s deft balance of vulnerability and irony, a bold step forward from one of the UK’s most singular voices.
