The First Record "Daughters" Delves Into Sorrow and Elegance
In this song "Miss America", audiences are placed in a lodging near JFK airport, where Jennifer Walton receives a devastating update that her dad has cancer diagnosis. The UK-raised artist had been traveling the US on her initial visit, playing alongside indie band Kero Kero Bonito, and abruptly grief takes over, tinging everything in grey. Unsteady piano and hushed orchestration accompany dark reports emanating from the tour van: "Rural scenes and crumbling homes / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."
Walton's gentle singing are delivered in a deadpan manner, yet this record's tension arises from the sharp writing—mixing stories, traditional phrases, and direct personal notes—along with surprising rich textures. Not many songs recently possess stronger novelistic flair than "Shelly", a piece that depicts the killing of an animal and spirals toward a petrol-laden confrontation, evoking written works lit with glimpses of distorted strings. Tense, subdued sections featuring echoing, plucked strings move to expansive refrains, and her vocals electronically altered into something omniscient and menacing.
Audiences may already know the artist from her work as a music creator, DJ, and contributor to bands such as Caroline. Daughters' musical twists draw on this diverse career. The first track "Sometimes" erupts in flourish, as if an ensemble taken unawares, while "Born Again Backwards" radically increases the tempo with a punishing, stunning, repeating drum fill. Dense layers of audio, expertly produced with a longtime collaborator, feel both gnarly and spiritual, while Walton's morbid, magical thoughts culminate in highlight "Lambs", a song that briefly transforms into a twirling dance. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," Walton bargains, exuding poignant dark comedy.
