Jennifer Walton's Debut Album "Daughters" Delves Into Grief and Elegance
In this track "Miss America", audiences are placed inside a hotel room near JFK airport, where the musician learns the devastating update of her father's cancer diagnosis. This Sunderland-born performer had been touring the US for the first time, drumming with group Kero Kero Bonito, and abruptly grief casts a shadow, coloring all in grey. Unsteady piano and soft orchestration accompany gothic dispatches emanating from the tour van: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."
Walton's soft singing come across in a flat style, yet the album's tension arises from her keen writing—blending stories, folksy sayings, and direct diary entries—along with surprising maximalism. Few tracks this year showcase more potent storytelling flair than "Shelly", which depicts the killing of an animal and spirals toward a fuel-soaked confrontation, reminiscent of written works lit by flickers of distorted cello. Tense, subdued sections featuring resonating, strummed guitar move into expansive choruses, and her vocals electronically altered to become a presence all-knowing and sinister.
Listeners might previously be familiar with the artist as a music creator, DJ, and member to bands such as Caroline. The album's sonic turns reflect her varied background. The opener "Sometimes" erupts in flourish, like a string band taken by surprise, while "Born Again Backwards" drastically ups the tempo with an intense, stunning, looping drum fill. Thick layers of audio, expertly mixed with a long-term partner, feel both gnarly and ethereal, while her morbid, magical thoughts peak in standout "Lambs", which briefly transforms into a twirling dance. "May your life never end in death," Walton bargains, exuding heart-aching gallows humor.
