The First Record "Daughters" Explores Grief and Style

Within the song "Miss America", audiences are placed inside a lodging near JFK airport, as the musician receives a heartbreaking news that her dad has cancer discovery. This Sunderland-born performer was touring the US on her initial visit, playing alongside indie band Kero Kero Bonito, and abruptly sadness takes over, tinging all in grey. Unsteady piano and hushed strings accompany gothic dispatches emanating from the road: "Rural scenes and crumbling homes / Strip-mall, drug deal, panic attacks."

Walton's soft vocals are delivered with a deadpan manner, yet this album's tension arises from the sharp writing—mixing stories, folksy sayings, and blunt diary entries—along with surprising rich textures. Not many songs this year possess more potent novelistic flair compared to "Shelly", a piece that depicts the death of an animal and descends toward a fuel-soaked confrontation, reminiscent of literary works illuminated with flickers of warped cello. Tense, quiet sections with resonating, plucked strings transition into grand choruses, with Walton's voice electronically altered to become something all-knowing and menacing.

Audiences may previously know the artist from her work as a music creator, DJ, and contributor in groups such as Caroline. The album's sonic turns reflect her diverse career. The opener "Sometimes" erupts in fanfare, as if a string band taken unawares, while "Born Again Backwards" drastically increases the BPM with a punishing, stunning, repeating percussion. Dense layers of audio, skillfully produced by a long-term partner, seem both gnarly and spiritual, and her morbid, enchanted thoughts peak in highlight "Lambs", a song that briefly becomes a swirling dance. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," Walton bargains, exuding poignant gallows humor.

Angela Callahan
Angela Callahan

A seasoned gaming journalist with over a decade of experience, specializing in RPGs and competitive esports coverage.