Jennifer Walton's Debut Record "Daughters" Delves Into Grief and Elegance

In the song "Miss America", audiences are placed in a lodging close to JFK airport, where the musician receives a heartbreaking update of her father's illness diagnosis. This Sunderland-born artist was touring America on her initial visit, drumming alongside indie band Kero Kero Bonito, when suddenly grief takes over, tinging all with melancholy. Unsteady piano and soft orchestration underscore gothic reports from the tour van: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."

Her gentle vocals are delivered with a deadpan style, while the record's intensity arises from the keen writing—blending stories, folksy sayings, and blunt personal notes—along with unexpected maximalism. Few songs recently showcase stronger storytelling style compared to "Shelly", a piece that depicts the death of an animal and spirals toward a fuel-soaked confrontation, evoking literary pieces lit by glimpses of distorted cello. Tense, quiet sections with echoing, strummed guitar move to grand choruses, and her voice digitally manipulated into a presence omniscient and menacing.

Listeners may already know Walton as an electronic producer, DJ, and contributor in groups like Caroline. The album's sonic turns reflect her diverse career. The first track "Sometimes" erupts with fanfare, as if an ensemble taken by surprise, whereas "Born Again Backwards" drastically increases the BPM via an intense, beautiful, repeating drum fill. Dense layers of audio, skillfully produced by a long-term partner, seem at once gnarly and ethereal, and her dark, magical thoughts peak in highlight "Lambs", a song that briefly becomes a swirling dance. "May your life never end in death," she pleads, exuding poignant gallows humor.