The Debut Album "Daughters" Delves Into Sorrow and Elegance
In this track "Miss America", listeners are placed in a hotel room close to JFK airport, as Jennifer Walton receives the heartbreaking news that her dad has cancer discovery. This Sunderland-born artist had been traveling America for the first time, drumming with indie band Kero Kero Bonito, and abruptly grief takes over, tinging all in grey. Faltering piano and hushed orchestration accompany dark reports from the tour van: "Rural scenes and crumbling homes / Strip-mall, drug deal, panic attacks."
Her soft singing come across with a flat style, while this record's intensity arises from the keen writing—blending fiction, traditional phrases, and blunt personal notes—along with unexpected rich textures. Few tracks this year possess more potent storytelling style compared to "Shelly", a piece that depicts the killing of an animal and descends toward a petrol-laden confrontation, reminiscent of literary pieces lit with glimpses of distorted strings. Tense, quiet sections with echoing, strummed guitar move to grand refrains, with her voice digitally manipulated into something all-knowing and sinister.
Listeners may previously know the artist from her work as a music creator, DJ, and contributor to bands such as Caroline. Daughters' musical twists draw on her diverse career. The opener "Sometimes" bursts in flourish, as if an ensemble taken unawares, whereas "Born Again Backwards" drastically ups the tempo via a punishing, beautiful, repeating drum fill. Thick layers of audio, skillfully mixed by a longtime collaborator, feel both rough and ethereal, and Walton's dark, enchanted thinking culminate on standout "Lambs", which briefly transforms into a twirling jig. "May your life never end in death," Walton pleads, with heart-aching dark comedy.
