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In the song "Miss America", listeners are placed inside a hotel room near JFK airfield, where Jennifer Walton learns a heartbreaking news of her father's cancer discovery. The Sunderland-born performer was touring America for the first time, drumming with indie band Kero Kero Bonito, when suddenly grief takes over, tinging everything with melancholy. Faltering keys and soft strings underscore dark reports emanating from the road: "Rural scenes and crumbling homes / Shopping centers, illicit trades, anxious moments."

Her gentle vocals come across with a deadpan style, while the album's intensity arises from the keen writing—blending stories, folksy sayings, and blunt personal notes—coupled with surprising rich textures. Not many tracks this year showcase stronger storytelling flair compared to "Shelly", which depicts the death of an animal and spirals toward a fuel-soaked reckoning, reminiscent of literary works illuminated by glimpses of distorted cello. Anxious, subdued verses featuring echoing, plucked strings transition to expansive refrains, with Walton's vocals electronically altered to become something all-knowing and menacing.

Audiences might already know Walton as a music creator, DJ, and member in groups like Caroline. Daughters' musical twists reflect this diverse career. The first track "Sometimes" bursts in fanfare, as if an ensemble caught unawares, while "Born Again Backwards" drastically ups the BPM with a punishing, beautiful, repeating percussion. Thick layers of audio, skillfully produced by a long-term collaborator, seem at once rough and ethereal, and her dark, enchanted thinking culminate in standout "Lambs", which momentarily transforms into a swirling jig. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," Walton pleads, exuding heart-aching gallows humor.