The First Record "Daughters" Delves Into Sorrow and Style
In this track "Miss America", listeners find themselves inside a hotel room near JFK airport, where the musician receives the devastating news that her dad has cancer discovery. The Sunderland-born artist was touring the US for the first time, playing alongside indie band Kero Kero Bonito, when abruptly grief takes over, coloring all with melancholy. Faltering keys and hushed orchestration accompany dark reports emanating from the tour van: "Rural scenes and crumbling homes / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."
Her gentle vocals are delivered in a deadpan manner, yet this record's intensity stems from her sharp writing—mixing stories, folksy sayings, and direct diary entries—coupled with unexpected rich textures. Not many tracks recently showcase more potent novelistic flair compared to "Shelly", a piece that describes the death of a deer and descends into a petrol-laden confrontation, evoking written works lit with flickers of warped strings. Tense, quiet sections with echoing, strummed guitar move to grand refrains, and Walton's vocals electronically altered into a presence all-knowing and menacing.
Audiences may already be familiar with the artist as a music creator, disc jockey, and member in groups like Caroline. The album's musical twists draw on her diverse career. The first track "Sometimes" erupts with flourish, as if a string band taken by surprise, while "Born Again Backwards" drastically ups the BPM with a punishing, beautiful, looping drum fill. Dense layers of audio, skillfully produced by a longtime partner, feel both rough and ethereal, and Walton's morbid, magical thoughts peak in standout "Lambs", which momentarily becomes a swirling jig. "May your life never end in death," she bargains, exuding poignant dark comedy.
