Black Belt Eagle Scout - "Soft Stud"

Photo by Jason Quigley

Black Belt Eagle Scout is the stage name of Portland based Katherine Paul. According to the press release, she is an indigenous queer musician, which definitely flavors her music. "Soft Stud," the first single from her debut album, combines elements you don't normally pair together. It starts off with this crunching guitar riff normally associated with some form of guitar rock. But when Paul's voice kicks in with her light and melodic feel, you know the song won't be what you thought it was going to be. The explosion that was promised at the beginning never comes, and instead you get a lovely mid-tempo song complete with harmony and keys that's more Colleen Green than The Hives.

You can listen to "Soft Stud" below. Mother of My Children, the debut album from Black Belt Eagle Scout, will be released on September 14 via Saddle Creek. The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on Black Belt Eagle Scout, check her website. Current tour dates are below the song.

Fri. Aug. 31 - Columbus, OH @ Wexner Arts Center #
Sat. Sep. 1 - Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx *
Sun. Sep. 2 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen ^
Tue. Sep. 4 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Lodge #
Wed. Sep. 5 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall #
Thu. Sep. 6 - New York City, NY @ Bowery Ballroom #
Fri. Sep. 7 - Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA #
Sat. Sep. 8 - Richmond, VA @ The Camel #
Sun. Sep. 9 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat (Backstage) #
Tue. Sep. 11 - Durham, NC @ The Pinhook #
Wed. Sep. 12 - Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn #
Thu. Sep. 13 - Tampa, FL @ Crowbar #
Fri. Sep. 14 - Tallahassee, FL @ The Wilbury #
Sat. Sep. 15 - New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa #
Mon. Sep. 17 - Austin, TX @ Barracuda #
Tue. Sep. 18 - Ft. Worth, TX @ Main at South Side #
Wed. Sep. 19 - Norman, OK @ Opolis #
Thu. Sep. 20 - Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck #
Fri. Sep. 21 - St. Louis, MO @ Off-Broadway #
Sat. Sep. 22 - Davenport, IA @ Village Theater #
Mon. Sep. 24 - Lexington, KY @ The Burl #
Wed. Sep. 26 - Omaha, NE @ Reverb $
Fri. Sep. 28 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive $
Sat. Sep. 29 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Diabolical Records $
Sun. Sep. 30 - Boise, ID @ Funky Taco $
Wed. Oct. 3 - Spokane, WA @ The Bartlett $

* = with Varsity
^ = with Shortly
# = with Saintseneca
$ = with Guerrilla Toss