The Great Divide, the debut album from modern indie-folk band National Park Radio will be released on July 29th via The Edgewater Music Group. The Great Divide is a timeless and honest collection of original songs which reflect on family, the need to explore and a love for the outdoors. Although the band uses mostly acoustic instrumentation, their melodies are filled with infectious pop sensibilities.

Front man Stefan Szabo grew up in the shadow of the Ozarks in the tiny town of Harrison, Arkansas. An old soul, Stefan married young, and had two daughters by the time he was 21. He played music and sang in his teens, mostly through a church group, but didn’t begin writing songs until he turned 27. Stefan traded the Fender Strat he owned for a six-string banjo (played/tuned like a guitar) and began writing most of the material included on The Great Divide.

The themes on the new album range from perseverance in songs like “I Will Go On” to the intricacies of relationships in “Monochrome,” young love in “Steady” and, on the title track “The Great Divide,” the spirit of persistence and pursuit of happiness. Stefan’s sincere attitude towards life and music comes across naturally through his music, highlighted by his clear and expressive vocals.

National Park Radio band members also include Heath Shatswell on banjo, Jon Westover on fiddle/vocals, drummer Eli Barrett, and bassist Mike Womack, with regular guest appearances by Jimmy Moreland on piano/vocals. The band’s name was drawn from Stefan’s love of the outdoors, and luckily his partners on the road share in this passion, even opting for the occasional camp-out while on the road versus crashing in a hotel.

A joyous mix of relatable songwriting, emotive vocals, and acoustic based instrumental arrangements, The Great Divide is an album that will inspire listeners to reflect, think more deeply, and hopefully enjoy life’s important moments.