Daughter // Norwich Arts Centre, 14.01.13
"'Youth' brings an inevitable sing-along, most recent release 'Smother' smoulders, and the shoe-gazey direction on some newer songs is especially inspired"
A girl and two boys in a darkened room. The boys wait patiently. The girl's been drinking rum, and occasionally breaks into awkward giggles. She softly calls out to one of the boys, asking him if he's ready to start. She looks up and sees they have an audience. An anonymous voice sends out a flirty “wooo”, followed by another, and then a whole chorus of encouragement comes from those that have flocked to see the girl in action. But she's too embarrassed. She can't go on with it, and she bursts into laughter, fading away just as she opens her mouth... I've painted this little picture, not from the depths of my imagination, but from the events of Daughter's first headline show.
I think it's probably a good thing that people get nervous before they perform; it creates a candour and a sincerity that only butterflies in the stomach can provide, but is there a point at which those nerves overwhelm the artist? It took Daughter three songs into their set to play through a track without making a mistake, and whilst it's perfectly understandable that the first date of their UK tour might provide some jitters, with time Elena's persistent worrying might stop being cute and start to become a major hindrance. The events of my first paragraph are all entirely true. Elena admitted to drinking before the gig, assumedly in an attempt to calm herself; “Seriously, it's the rum guys...” She also asked permission to start playing on numerous occasions, apologised profusely and unnecessarily, and was completely stopped in her tracks when the crowd “wooed” at their first well know track 'Candles'. Her insecurities were endearing to a point; you could tell everyone at the gig was entertained rather than annoyed, and don't get me wrong, I was too, I just fear for Daughter in the future.
You see, the thing is, the band write and play fantastic music. All of the accolades that have been showered upon the trio have been perfectly just, and when they do finally get on and play, they're brilliant. 'Youth' brings an inevitable sing-along, most recent release 'Smother' smoulders, and the shoe-gazey direction on some newer songs is especially inspired, with Daughter successfully removing themselves from the rather one-dimensional neo-folk bracket, and into allegiance with more complex acts like Esben and the Witch. But with all three band members seeming so introverted, and acting so coy in front of a baying audience, it could only be a matter of time until they reach their peak. They work brilliantly in old churches and dark spaces which they can fill with beautifully gothic sonics, but forced out onto a bright stage, in front of thousands of fans, and its a saddening thought, but unless they mature, they might just capitulate.
Alex Throssell
