Gus Englehorn’s Album Review on The Hornbook: Featured on At The Barrier
Prepare yourself to explore the fascinating depths of your mind with The Hornbook, the latest album by former professional snowboarder Gus Englehorn, set to transport you to uncharted territories.
Released on January 31st, 2025, under the Secret City Records label, The Hornbook is poised to challenge your senses in ways you’ve never experienced before.
Gus Englehorn, a North American visionary and former pro-snowboarder, has crafted an album that invites listeners into his eclectic world, where emotion, storytelling, and intrigue collide on a mesmerizing sonic voyage. Each track offers a glimpse into familiar yet unfamiliar landscapes, setting the stage for a truly unique experience unlike any other.
Describing himself as a “nomadic psych-pop prophet” inhabiting “Planet Gus,” Gus Englehorn presents a universe born from the collision of serene beauty and apocalyptic chaos, inhabited by folk heroes, eerie characters, and oversized insects. While these concepts may seem perplexing at first, once you immerse yourself in his music, everything falls into place with stunning clarity.
In The Hornbook, Gus steers away from his previous albums, Death and Transfiguration (2020) and Dungeon Master (2022), which delved into themes of isolation and grand storytelling. This time, he explores the essence and energy of 20th-century rock, infusing elements of garage rock, psychedelia, glam, punk, post-punk, and grunge to create what he describes as “an alien transmission from the future.” According to Gus, each song on the album serves as a unique story, offering a glimpse into our world through a cryptic lens.
Collaborating with producer Mark Lawson and his musical partner, Estée Preda, Gus Englehorn delivers a riveting musical experience that will resonate with fans of artists like Frank Zappa, Syd Barrett, Captain Beefheart, and Lou Reed. The Hornbook is a must-have for anyone with a penchant for unconventional sounds and offbeat storytelling, though it’s best enjoyed with a lighthearted approach.
From the ethereal rap of “One Eyed Jack pt. I and II” to the dreamlike melodies of “The Itch,” Gus Englehorn showcases a diverse range of styles and influences throughout the album. Tracks like “Thyme” and “Roderick of the Vale” exude a blend of pop sensibility and grandeur, drawing comparisons to legendary artists like The Incredible String Band. Meanwhile, songs like “Metal Detector” and “Sweet Marie” pay homage to the doom-metal genre and the whimsical psychedelia of Syd Barrett.
As the album progresses, listeners are treated to a whirlwind of emotions, with each track providing a new window into Gus Englehorn’s imaginative world. The mystique of “A Song With Arms and Legs” and the punk-infused energy of the “Epilogue to the One Eyed Jack” saga offer a poignant conclusion to the album, leaving listeners in awe of Englehorn’s creative prowess.
In a world filled with uncertainties, The Hornbook stands as a beacon of eccentricity and creativity, offering a glimpse into a realm of boundless imagination that is sure to captivate the adventurous at heart. Gus Englehorn’s latest album is a testament to the power of music to transcend boundaries and transport us to a place of pure artistic expression. Venture into the realm of Gus Englehorn’s “weirdness” and revel in the magic of The Hornbook.