When you usually think of South Dakota what comes to mind? well, honestly I can't come up with anything of significance, but Kid Dakota is bringing stories of this unfamiliar region to those that have yet to experience it with their new record "The West Is The Future." While the roots of Kid Dakota really began in the mid-90's through Darren Jackson's, lead vox, solo career in Minneapolis, the first remnants of the band began in 1999 when Jackson and Christopher McGuire, drums, met. This coloboration produced an EP entitled "So Pretty" in 2000 and was repressed on vinyl in 2002 with a few extra songs. Now two years following the release of that LP, Kid Dakota is set to unleash their second full length effort on the Chairkickers' Union Music label.

Kid Dakota concocts a masterful blend of indie rock, art-funk and the down-home country feeling of South Dakota that when combined produces a very chill and laid back vibe throughout "The West Is The Future." It almost resembles the dreamlike state that is reminiscent of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon." The one thing that sets Kid Dakota apart from other indie acts is the unnecessary art that's sometimes put in. Every word, every drum beat and every strum of the guitar seems to have their own little nook and cranny in the songs. There isn't a single note that eve thinks about straying from the sense of belonging that Jackson mastered through his writing. Be sure to check out "Ivan" and "Pilgrim" on the record when you get a chance, they are definite favorites of mine.