Goodness Gracious is The Heligoats’ Album Out Now
Good Day Noir Family,
There’s something refreshingly unpredictable about The Heligoats’ Goodness Gracious.
Goodness Gracious is The Heligoats’ Album Out Now
The brainchild of Chris Otepka this project shows the artist in full control of his craft—minimalist, quirky, and full of intent.
The album opens with the quiet buzz of cicadas, gently ushering the listener into A Guide to the Outdoors. As the guitar kicks in with steady strumming and Otepka’s voice enters—bearing hints of Chris Martin’s tonal palette. His voice isn’t showy, but it’s expressive in a way that draws you closer to his oddball reflections and intimate thoughts.
Mercury follows, bringing with it a hazy sense of nostalgia. The guitar work has the kind of worn-in warmth you might find in Wild Horses—not imitative, but evocative. It feels like a slow dance with memory, unhurried and soaked in emotion.
With Fish Sticks, the album takes a turn into more textured territory. Ambient sounds creep in—gulls, dockside clatter, something metallic in the distance—and suddenly you’re not just hearing a song, you’re somewhere. Maybe a coastal town. Maybe just in your head. There’s a pulse to the track that keeps it moving forward without losing its handcrafted feel.
Water Towers on Fire is deceptively laid back. The rhythm feels sly, relaxed on the surface but underlined by a sense of urgency. Otepka’s songwriting is precise—never flashy, but always thoughtful. Chord progressions unfold with intention, and every lyric feels carefully chosen.
The instrumental Aquifir acts like a breath, a moment to sit with everything you’ve heard so far. It’s not filler—it’s a reset button, creating space for what comes next.
And what comes next hits hard. Reasonable Doubt stands out with echoes of Counting Crows and Grant Lee Buffalo, though Otepka’s identity is fully intact. There’s something quietly anthemic about it, like a private thought shouted into a canyon.
Goodness Gracious closes the album with a gentle sway. The acoustic strums are light, the vocals plainspoken and unfiltered. It’s easy to picture this one sung around a campfire. There’s no trickery here, no gloss—just an artist laying it out, line by line.
Chris Otepka just needs the freedom to follow his thoughts wherever they go. And in Goodness Gracious, that journey is well worth taking.
Goodness Gracious is The Heligoats’ Album Out Now!
Sublime!
Goodness Gracious is The Heligoats’ Album Out Now
The Heligoats is the solo project of Chris Otepka, former frontman of the underrated indie band Troubled Hubble. Now performing solo and unplugged, Otepka delivers thoughtful, offbeat folk under a name as curious as his lyrics. As The Heligoats, he weaves sharp observations and imaginative storytelling into each acoustic set—like a one-man band channeling a world where goats might just have propellers.
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