Jennifer Walton's Debut Record "Daughters" Delves Into Grief and Style
Within this track "Miss America", listeners are placed in a hotel room close to JFK airfield, as Jennifer Walton receives a heartbreaking news of her father's cancer discovery. This Sunderland-born artist was touring the US on her initial visit, drumming alongside indie band Kero Kero Bonito, when abruptly grief casts a shadow, tinging everything in grey. Unsteady keys and soft orchestration underscore gothic dispatches from the road: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."
Her soft singing come across with a deadpan manner, while the album's tension stems from the keen writing—blending fiction, folksy sayings, and blunt personal notes—along with unexpected maximalism. Not many tracks this year showcase more potent storytelling style than "Shelly", which describes the killing of an animal and descends toward a fuel-soaked reckoning, reminiscent of written pieces lit with flickers of warped strings. Anxious, quiet verses with resonating, plucked strings move to expansive refrains, and Walton's vocals electronically altered to become a presence all-knowing and sinister.
Listeners might already be familiar with Walton from her work as a music creator, disc jockey, and member in groups like Caroline. The album's sonic turns reflect this diverse background. The first track "Sometimes" erupts in flourish, as if a string band caught by surprise, whereas "Born Again Backwards" drastically ups the tempo with an intense, stunning, repeating drum fill. Thick layers of audio, expertly mixed by a long-term collaborator, seem both gnarly and spiritual, and Walton's dark, enchanted thinking culminate in standout "Lambs", a song that briefly becomes a swirling jig. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," she pleads, with heart-aching gallows humor.
