Release: August 1, 2024

'Reserved Space' is Matthew Hoopengardner's solo debut album. It was recorded in Austin, TX by the grammy award winning engineer Stuart Sikes, who has worked with a ton of other spectacular artists including The White Stripes, Loretta Lynn, Cat Power, Jack Oblivian, & Reigning Sound, to name a few.

These recordings began in December 2019, right before Matthew was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colo-Rectal cancer. Most of the work on this record was done in between heavy-duty bouts of chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and multiple surgeries. These recording sessions partly functioned as a welcome distraction from all of that. After the cancer spread to his liver, and a set of very specific circumstances and requirements, he was extremely fortunate to become a candidate for a procedure called a living donor liver transplant (Thanks Beau!!!). After initially receiving a terminal prognosis, he has now kicked cancer in the dick, and is currently living comfortably in Austin,TX.

The Sons Of S.A.M. were the backing band for these recordings, consisting of Brandon Crowe (Gospel Truth, Zulu As Kono, Gut) on drums, Gregg Levy (Spider Bags, The Golden Boys, Last Years Men) on Lead Guitar and Patrick Pestorius (Roky Erikson, Okkervil River, The Stepbrothers) on bass and backing vocals. Additional contributions by Nathan “Ney-Ney” Arbeitman (The Golden Boys) on keys, Olivia DeJesus on backing vocals, and Walter Daniels on nose flute.

Thanks for stopping by, and get screened for Colo-Rectal cancer!!!