The First Record "Daughters" Explores Sorrow and Elegance

In the song "Miss America", listeners find themselves inside a lodging near JFK airfield, as the musician learns the devastating news that her dad has cancer discovery. This UK-raised artist was traveling America on her initial visit, drumming alongside group Kero Kero Bonito, and abruptly sadness takes over, coloring everything in grey. Faltering piano and hushed orchestration underscore dark reports from the tour van: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."

Walton's gentle singing come across in a deadpan manner, yet the album's tension stems from the sharp writing—mixing stories, traditional phrases, and direct personal notes—coupled with unexpected rich textures. Not many tracks this year showcase stronger novelistic style compared to "Shelly", which depicts the killing of a deer and spirals into a fuel-soaked reckoning, reminiscent of written pieces illuminated with glimpses of distorted cello. Anxious, subdued sections with echoing, strummed guitar transition into expansive choruses, with her vocals electronically altered into something omniscient and sinister.

Audiences may previously be familiar with the artist as an electronic producer, disc jockey, and member in groups such as Caroline. The album's sonic turns draw on her varied background. The first track "Sometimes" bursts with flourish, as if a string band caught by surprise, whereas "Born Again Backwards" drastically increases the BPM via an intense, beautiful, looping drum fill. Thick layers of audio, expertly produced by a long-term collaborator, seem at once rough and ethereal, while her morbid, enchanted thoughts peak in standout "Lambs", which momentarily becomes a swirling jig. "May your life never end in death," Walton bargains, exuding heart-aching dark comedy.

Seth Woodward
Seth Woodward

A nature writer and cultural historian passionate about preserving traditional knowledge and sharing it through engaging narratives.