Jennifer Walton's Debut Album "Daughters" Delves Into Grief and Style
Within this song "Miss America", audiences find themselves in a lodging near JFK airfield, as the musician learns a devastating news of her father's illness diagnosis. This UK-raised performer had been traveling the US on her initial visit, playing alongside indie band Kero Kero Bonito, when suddenly sadness casts a shadow, coloring everything in grey. Faltering keys and hushed strings underscore gothic dispatches from the road: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."
Her soft singing are delivered in a flat manner, while this record's intensity stems from her keen penmanship—blending stories, traditional phrases, and blunt personal notes—along with surprising maximalism. Few songs this year possess stronger storytelling style compared to "Shelly", a piece that describes the killing of a deer and spirals toward a fuel-soaked reckoning, reminiscent of written pieces lit by glimpses of warped cello. Anxious, quiet sections featuring resonating, strummed strings move into grand refrains, with her vocals digitally manipulated to become something omniscient and menacing.
Listeners might previously be familiar with Walton from her work as an electronic producer, disc jockey, and member to bands such as Caroline. The album's sonic turns draw on her diverse career. The opener "Sometimes" erupts with flourish, as if a string band caught unawares, whereas "Born Again Backwards" radically increases the tempo via a punishing, stunning, repeating drum fill. Thick walls of sound, expertly mixed by a longtime collaborator, seem at once gnarly and ethereal, and Walton's dark, magical thoughts culminate in standout "Lambs", which briefly transforms into a twirling dance. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," she bargains, exuding heart-aching gallows humor.
