This Frontier Needs Heroes have been releasing music for over a decade and you can hear that lived-in feel in the playing and the maturity of the arrangement and sublime vocal melodies of singer-songwriter Brad Lauretti on this new song ‘South Dakota’. It’s a mix of gorgeous, folk-tinged vocals, the grit and electric twang of the guitar, combined with a sweet soul groove that Levon Helm would be proud of, that makes this such a great sound.

The single comes from the group’s new album Go With The Flow which is set for release on Dec 13th. Based on this song and the title track, the album’s set to be a fine collection of laidback and dusty alt-country sounds.

“South Dakota” is a finalist in the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at Merlefest (2020) and was inspired by someone from South Dakota who randomly kissed me on a night out in East Nashville and then never returned my phone calls. This unrequited love song meanders into the last verse inspired by the unfinished Crazy Horse sculpture in South Dakota, “Crazy Horse is staring at the grasslands / Deadwood, Black Hills to the Badlands / Buffalo, Wounded Knee, Black Elk Speaks / They stole the gold and traded a dust bowl.”