Englehorn, Gus - The Hornbook CD

'The Hornbook', magically transmutes the entire history of 20th-century rock 'n' roll - 50's golden oldies, 60's garage spunk, 70's glam flamboyance, 80's indie transgression, 90's 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'.

1 One Eyed Jack Pt. I and II (The Interrogation/The Other Side)
2 Thyme
3 The Itch
4 Roderick of the Vale
5 Metal Detector
6 The Whirlwind's Speaking
7 Sweet Marie
8 A Song With Arms and Legs
9 One Eyed Jack Pt. III (Epilogue)