Serene, profound and beautiful
Black Belt Eagle Scout, better known as Katherine Paul, recently moved back to her home of Swinomish Reservation in Washington. Her newfound connection to the environment around her was so profound that it inspired her to write her newest album, The Land, The Water, The Sky, which was released in February. As a product of this enlightened connection, it is so accessible for the audience to really connect with the album, not just through its meaning and themes, but on an unspoken level. The sonic space of this album is filled with such density and is handled with such care that it’s almost guaranteed the listened will be imbued with a sense of serenity and peace.
Life is breathed into and throughout this album by the natural influence that inspired Paul. Not only in the lyrics, but the sound of the album itself is a beautiful representation of the landscapes that inspired the album. From lyrics that mimic a stream on “Salmon Stinta” to a babbling fingerstyle guitar that evokes the rushing river described in “On the River”, to the airy vocals used throughout the album, the decisions made compositionally truly create an environment that is special. These elements only further the point that Paul is stressing, that reconnecting to the land that she is from has healed her and helped her revitalize herself as an artist and as a person.
Musically, Paul chooses not to follow a formula, which has to be the case because with subject matter like this, there is no formula. From lyrics to instrumentation, everything on this album puts Black Belt Eagle Scout in a genre of her own, not conforming to one sound or one idea but always staying true to her message and her sound, of which she crafts so beautifully. Some instrumental stand-outs on the album include the flowing strings on “Salmon Stinta” and “Blue,” the lengthy and overdriven instrumental break on the opening track “My Blood Runs Through This Land,” and drums and percussion across the album, sparing no toms or cymbals from being used. The synths used throughout the album, although sitting comfortably in the back of the mix, really fill out the space and add to the “air” portion of the album.
Paul chooses to utilize a trend of minimalism when it comes to lyricism on this album, in almost direct contrast to the instrumentals at times. In most of the songs on the album, she utilizes only one verse and the rest of the song is instrumental with occasional airy oohs and ahs to vocally fill the space, which works nicely juxtaposed with some of the harder tracks like “My Blood Runs Through This Land.” Although many of the lyrics are simple and abstract, they still succeed in evoking emotion while paired with the instrumental compositions, which is where the personality and inspirations that Paul brings to the album really shine. Paul says on her own website that the album was intended to be a “celebration of lineage and strength”, and although it may be redundant to celebrate a celebration, this album certainly deserves to be celebrated.
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