The First Record "Daughters" Delves Into Grief and Style

Within this track "Miss America", audiences are placed in a lodging near JFK airport, where the musician receives the heartbreaking news of her father's illness discovery. The Sunderland-born performer was touring the US for the first time, drumming with group Kero Kero Bonito, when suddenly grief takes over, tinging everything with melancholy. Faltering keys and soft orchestration underscore gothic reports emanating from the tour van: "Rural scenes and crumbling homes / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."

Her gentle singing come across with a deadpan manner, yet the record's tension arises from the sharp writing—blending stories, folksy sayings, and direct diary entries—along with unexpected rich textures. Few tracks this year showcase more potent novelistic style than "Shelly", a piece that describes the killing of a deer and descends into a fuel-soaked reckoning, evoking written pieces illuminated by flickers of distorted cello. Anxious, quiet sections with echoing, strummed strings move to expansive refrains, and Walton's voice electronically altered to become a presence omniscient and sinister.

Listeners may already know Walton from her work as a music creator, DJ, and member in groups like Caroline. The album's sonic turns draw on her varied background. The first track "Sometimes" bursts in flourish, like an ensemble taken by surprise, whereas "Born Again Backwards" radically increases the tempo with an intense, beautiful, looping drum fill. Dense walls of sound, expertly mixed with a long-term partner, seem at once gnarly and spiritual, and Walton's morbid, enchanted thinking peak on standout "Lambs", which briefly becomes a twirling jig. "May your life never end in death," she pleads, with poignant dark comedy.

Jessica Romero
Jessica Romero

A seasoned casino enthusiast and gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in reviewing online casinos and slot games.