The Land, The Water, The Sky, Black Belt Eagle Scout (8/10)

Another 2/10/23 release, we have Black Belt Eagle Scout's "The Land, The Water, The Sky" coming out with Saddle Creek. Like YLT, this was definitely my most anticipated albums of the year, though I have to say I was just a tad disappointed with it. The singles she had released were "Don't Give Up," "My Blood Runs Thru This Land," "Nobody," and "Spaces." "My Blood..." ended up as my 6th favorite song of 2022, so suffice to say I had pretty high expectations. KP, I feel like, has taken kind of a darker sounding approach to this album, cranking the reverb and distortion way up, which is not to say you can't find those elements in her older stuff, but I do feel like she verges on shoegazey sometimes here in ways I was really excited by. This is the album which documents her return to her ancestral lands, so it makes since I think that there is real grief and a kind of spirituality in the richness of the reverb/distortion. In "Spaces," which will probably end up on my best songs list of 2023, Paul also includes her father's pow wow voice, which I just thought was so moving and beautiful alongside the distorted guitar, Paul's lovely voice, and the drum. She's doing some really innovative stuff. Only gave it a 7 because there were a few too many songs I didn't love (probs liked about 2/3 of the songs). Still think very highly of it and her though. Psyched to see her in April and May!!! Favorite tracks: My Blood Runs Thru This Land, Blue, Nobody, Spaces

Revision: Just saw her live. Switching it to an 8/10. They're so fuckin good.