Gus Englehorn

The Hornbook

Vinyl

Regular price $27.99 CAD
The Hornbook, magically transmutes the entire history of 20th-century rock ‘n’ roll—’50s golden oldies, ‘60s garage spunk, ‘70s glam flamboyance, ‘80s indie transgression, ‘90s lo-fi...

The Hornbook, magically transmutes the entire history of 20th-century rock ‘n’ roll—’50s golden oldies, ‘60s garage spunk, ‘70s glam flamboyance, ‘80s indie transgression, ‘90s lo-fi weirdness—into an alien transmission from the future. Now, if you stayed awake during high-school history class, you might remember that a hornbook is an early-education tool for children dating back to the 15th-century—a wooden paddle inscribed with the alphabet, numbers, and the odd Bible verse. (Think of it as the beta version of your iPhone’s notes app.) “When I was writing these songs, it felt like I was making a children's book—every song was a little story,” Englehorn says of the title concept. “But it also felt like a little bit of a cipher for our whole world.” 

The Hornbook was largely written in Maui but recorded in Montreal with producer Mark Lawson, whose C.V, includes one of Englehorn’s personal touchstones: Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone?, the gloriously ramshackle 2003 debut album from Montreal cult heroes The Unicorns. “The Unicorns are a huge influence,” Englehorn enthuses, and certainly you can hear a similar childlike sensibility on The Hornbook, from the Dr. Seussian wordplay in his songs, to the ever-present mischievous glee in his singing voice, to the sandbox experimental approach he shares with his musical (and matrimonial) partner, drummer Estée Preda. 

Product Details

Vinyl
12” black vinyl 140g
Packaging
Single sleeve
Label
Secret City Records
Release Date
January 31, 2025

Musicians

Gus Engle
Lead vocals / Guitar / Bass / Backup Vocals / Harmonica
Estée Preda
Drums / Lead Vocals / Backup Vocals / Synth / Organ Bass / Percussion / Guitar / Bass
Joshua Toal
Bass / Organ
Mark Lawson
Bass / Synth / Percussion
Francis Lebel
Piano
William Poulin
Guitar
Paul Leary
Lead Vocals
Jaime Thompson
Sound Effects

Production Credits

Production
Gus Englehorn / Estée Preda / Mark Lawson
Mixing
Paul Leary
Mastering
Harris Newman

Compositions

All songs composed by
Gus Engle