Chris Otepka of Heligoats joins me to talk about Neat New Monuments, a new album reimagining songs from Troubled Hubble’s 20-year-old record, Making Beds in a Burning House.

In this interview, Chris breaks down:

• The origin of Neat New Monuments: How a vinyl reissue proposal from Foreign Leisure Records prompted him to pause his new Heligoats project, relearn his older material, and record new versions of the songs.
• Recording in Elburn, Illinois: Working with engineer Mark Walker and bringing in guest musicians with connections to the songs..
• Track-by-track changes: Reworking songs including “I See Molecules,” “14,000 Things…,” “Jackpot Stampede Deluxe,” “Safe and Sound,” and “Bees.”
• Craft and perspective: Taking poetry classes with Buddy Wakefield, reflecting on how his connection to his lyrics has evolved over two decades, and stepping back from modern tech connectivity.
• Release show and future plans: Playing the album release show at Kiss the Sky Records in Batavia and preparing for upcoming Heligoats recordings and tours.

Chris is a songwriting treasure, and these new versions are well worth a listen (if not an outright purchase of the vinyl version of the LP)!

Car Con Carne is sponsored by Exploding House Printing. Support them (and do your brand a favor) by visiting explodinghouseprinting.com!