Jennifer Walton's First Album "Daughters" Explores Grief and Elegance

In this track "Miss America", audiences find themselves inside a lodging close to JFK airfield, as Jennifer Walton receives the heartbreaking update of her father's cancer discovery. This UK-raised performer was touring America on her initial visit, drumming alongside indie band Kero Kero Bonito, and abruptly grief takes over, coloring everything with melancholy. Unsteady piano and hushed orchestration accompany dark reports from the tour van: "Rural scenes and crumbling homes / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."

Walton's soft vocals are delivered with a deadpan style, while the album's tension stems from the keen writing—blending fiction, traditional phrases, and direct personal notes—coupled with surprising maximalism. Few tracks this year showcase more potent novelistic style compared to "Shelly", a piece that depicts the killing of a deer and spirals into a petrol-laden reckoning, evoking literary works lit with flickers of distorted strings. Tense, quiet verses with resonating, strummed strings transition into grand choruses, with Walton's voice electronically altered into a presence omniscient and sinister.

Listeners may previously know Walton from her work as an electronic producer, disc jockey, and contributor in groups such as Caroline. Daughters' musical twists reflect her diverse background. The opener "Sometimes" erupts with flourish, as if a string band caught unawares, whereas "Born Again Backwards" drastically increases the BPM via a punishing, beautiful, looping drum fill. Dense layers of audio, expertly mixed with a long-term collaborator, feel both gnarly and spiritual, while her morbid, enchanted thoughts culminate in standout "Lambs", a song that momentarily becomes a twirling dance. "May your life never end in death," she bargains, exuding heart-aching dark comedy.

Edward Woods
Edward Woods

Elara is a luxury travel expert and automotive enthusiast who shares insights on high-end vehicle rentals and exclusive driving experiences in Las Vegas.