The Debut Record "Daughters" Delves Into Grief and Elegance
In this song "Miss America", audiences are placed inside a lodging close to JFK airfield, where the musician learns a heartbreaking news that her dad has illness discovery. The UK-raised artist was touring the US for the first time, playing with indie band Kero Kero Bonito, when abruptly grief casts a shadow, coloring everything in grey. Unsteady piano and soft strings underscore dark reports from the road: "Rural scenes and crumbling homes / Strip-mall, drug deal, panic attacks."
Her gentle vocals are delivered with a flat manner, while the record's tension stems from the keen writing—blending stories, folksy sayings, and blunt diary entries—coupled with surprising rich textures. Few songs recently showcase stronger storytelling style compared to "Shelly", a piece that describes the death of an animal and descends toward a fuel-soaked confrontation, evoking literary pieces illuminated with glimpses of warped cello. Tense, subdued sections featuring echoing, plucked guitar transition into grand choruses, with her voice digitally manipulated to become a presence omniscient and sinister.
Audiences might already be familiar with Walton as an electronic producer, DJ, and member to bands such as Caroline. Daughters' musical twists draw on her diverse background. The opener "Sometimes" bursts with flourish, as if a string band taken unawares, while "Born Again Backwards" radically ups the tempo with an intense, stunning, repeating drum fill. Thick walls of sound, skillfully produced with a longtime partner, feel at once rough and ethereal, and Walton's dark, magical thoughts culminate on highlight "Lambs", a song that briefly transforms into a swirling jig. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," she pleads, with heart-aching gallows humor.
