The First Record "Daughters" Explores Grief and Style
In this track "Miss America", audiences are placed inside a hotel room near JFK airport, as the musician receives a devastating news of her father's illness diagnosis. This Sunderland-born performer was traveling the US for the first time, playing alongside indie band Kero Kero Bonito, and suddenly sadness casts a shadow, tinging all in grey. Unsteady piano and soft orchestration underscore gothic reports emanating from the road: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."
Walton's gentle singing come across with a deadpan style, while this record's intensity stems from the keen writing—mixing stories, folksy sayings, and blunt diary entries—along with unexpected maximalism. Not many songs recently possess stronger novelistic style compared to "Shelly", which depicts the killing of an animal and spirals toward a petrol-laden confrontation, reminiscent of written pieces illuminated with glimpses of warped strings. Anxious, quiet verses featuring resonating, plucked guitar move to expansive choruses, and Walton's voice digitally manipulated to become a presence omniscient and menacing.
Audiences may already be familiar with Walton as a music creator, DJ, and member to bands such as Caroline. The album's musical twists reflect her diverse career. The first track "Sometimes" bursts with fanfare, as if an ensemble caught by surprise, while "Born Again Backwards" drastically ups the BPM via an intense, stunning, repeating drum fill. Thick layers of audio, skillfully mixed by a longtime collaborator, seem both gnarly and spiritual, while Walton's dark, enchanted thinking culminate in highlight "Lambs", a song that momentarily transforms into a swirling jig. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," Walton pleads, exuding heart-aching gallows humor.
