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In the track "Miss America", listeners find themselves in a lodging close to JFK airfield, where Jennifer Walton learns a devastating news of her father's illness discovery. This UK-raised performer was traveling the US for the first time, playing alongside group Kero Kero Bonito, when abruptly grief casts a shadow, tinging all with melancholy. Faltering keys and hushed strings underscore dark reports emanating from the tour van: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Strip-mall, drug deal, panic attacks."

Walton's soft vocals come across with a deadpan style, yet the record's intensity stems from the keen writing—blending fiction, traditional phrases, and direct personal notes—along with surprising maximalism. Not many songs this year showcase more potent storytelling flair compared to "Shelly", a piece that depicts the killing of a deer and descends into a fuel-soaked reckoning, evoking written works illuminated by flickers of distorted strings. Tense, subdued verses featuring resonating, plucked guitar transition into grand choruses, and Walton's voice electronically altered into a presence omniscient and menacing.

Audiences may previously know the artist from her work as a music creator, disc jockey, and member in groups like Caroline. The album's sonic turns draw on her diverse career. The first track "Sometimes" bursts with fanfare, as if an ensemble caught by surprise, whereas "Born Again Backwards" radically increases the BPM with a punishing, beautiful, repeating drum fill. Thick walls of sound, expertly mixed by a long-term collaborator, feel both rough and ethereal, while her morbid, enchanted thoughts culminate in standout "Lambs", a song that momentarily transforms into a swirling dance. "May your life never end in death," Walton pleads, with poignant dark comedy.