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Within this track "Miss America", listeners are placed inside a lodging close to JFK airport, as Jennifer Walton receives the devastating update that her dad has cancer diagnosis. The UK-raised performer had been touring the US on her initial visit, playing alongside group Kero Kero Bonito, and suddenly sadness casts a shadow, tinging all in grey. Unsteady keys and hushed strings accompany gothic reports from the tour van: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."

Walton's soft vocals are delivered in a deadpan style, while this record's intensity arises from the sharp penmanship—blending stories, folksy sayings, and direct personal notes—coupled with unexpected rich textures. Not many tracks this year showcase stronger storytelling flair than "Shelly", a piece that depicts the killing of a deer and descends into a fuel-soaked reckoning, evoking written pieces illuminated with glimpses of warped cello. Tense, quiet verses with resonating, plucked strings transition into grand refrains, with Walton's voice digitally manipulated to become 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' musical twists draw on her diverse background. The first track "Sometimes" bursts with fanfare, as if a string band taken unawares, whereas "Born Again Backwards" drastically ups the BPM via a punishing, beautiful, repeating drum fill. Dense layers of audio, expertly produced by a long-term partner, feel both rough and spiritual, and Walton's morbid, magical thinking culminate on standout "Lambs", which momentarily becomes a twirling jig. "May your life never end in death," Walton pleads, with heart-aching gallows humor.