Daughter – If You Leave

Artist: Daughter
Album Title: If You Leave
Labels: 4AD, Glassnote Records (US)
Released: April 30, 2013

This lovely trio, also known as Daughter, is an English indie-folk band originating from London, England. With only two EP’s and one studio album under their belt, Daughter’s enriching sound is so original you almost have to breakdown to a listen.

 If you haven’t taken the time to listen to their newest album “If You Leave”, I advise you to listen to it like you would listen to a novel on tape or as if you were watching an award winning film. Elena Tonra’s sublime vocals combined with the spine shivering instrumentals of guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Igor Haefeli and the talented drummer Remi Aguilella takes you through a journey you have never gone before. The album begins with the track “Winter,” introducing you to creative echoes and calm beats, hinting of what is to come. The powerful lyrics from the second track “Smother” had me in tears, leaving me tempted to push the repeat button and forget about the rest of the album. The journey just kept getting better when the next track, which was featured on their second EP “The Wild Youth” and was re-mastered for a slot on this album, “Youth” began to play. As I continued on to the next three songs, I was blown away by the heartbreaking love song “Still,” gut-wrenching lyrics in “Lifeforms,” and the heart pounding instrumentals from “Tomorrow.” After experiencing an emotional rollercoaster with the first half of the album, the next three tracks “Human,” “Touch” and “Amsterdam” wiped away the tears with a more fun, up-beat tone. The final track “Shallows” was the perfect ending presenting me with a whirl of emotions along with a hint of angelic sounds. “If you leave” is a key lyric to this track, which to me was the ultimate fist-pumping, breakfast club moment and was a great way to interpolate the album title into lyrics of a song.

 The slightly emotional yet beautiful thematic lyrics and instrumentals of this album will leave you with the thirst of wanting more. From their first EP “His Young Heart” to their newest album “If You Leave,” Daughter has truly proven to be one of the most influential bands of the year. Their endless potential gives me high hopes for their future.

Reviewed by Kristin Caldwell