Jennifer Walton's Debut Record "Daughters" Explores Grief and Style
In this song "Miss America", audiences are placed inside a hotel room near JFK airfield, as Jennifer Walton learns the devastating news of her father's illness diagnosis. The Sunderland-born performer had been touring the US for the first time, playing with indie band Kero Kero Bonito, and abruptly grief takes over, coloring everything in grey. Unsteady piano and soft orchestration underscore gothic reports emanating from the tour van: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."
Her soft singing come across in a deadpan manner, while this record's intensity stems from the sharp penmanship—mixing fiction, traditional phrases, and direct diary entries—coupled with unexpected maximalism. Few songs recently showcase stronger storytelling flair than "Shelly", which describes the killing of a deer and spirals toward a fuel-soaked reckoning, reminiscent of literary pieces lit by flickers of distorted strings. Anxious, subdued verses with echoing, plucked guitar transition into grand choruses, with her voice electronically altered into a presence omniscient and sinister.
Audiences may already be familiar with the artist from her work as an electronic producer, disc jockey, and contributor in groups like Caroline. Daughters' sonic turns reflect her diverse background. The opener "Sometimes" erupts in flourish, as if an ensemble caught by surprise, whereas "Born Again Backwards" drastically ups the BPM via an intense, beautiful, looping percussion. Dense layers of audio, skillfully produced with a longtime partner, feel at once gnarly and spiritual, while her morbid, magical thoughts culminate in standout "Lambs", a song that momentarily transforms into a twirling dance. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," she pleads, with heart-aching gallows humor.
