About

Singer/songwriter Rob Dunsford is based in Mid Wales & Shropshire. A late-developer, Rob only started taking his music-making seriously in the past few years and has been pleasantly surprised by the warm reception his music has received.

Appearances at SolFest, Workhouse Festival and Sheep Music Festival have exposed him to wider audiences and he hopes to play yet more festivals in 2011.

In 2010 Rob was asked to submit a cover of a Townes Van Zandt song for inclusion on a benefit/tribute album. The album was released late 2010 and features other Townes songs covered by Boo Hewerdine, Shane Macgowan, Magic Numbers and Devon Sproule (among others).

Early in 2009 Rob's music caught the attention of the Wonder Stuff's Miles Hunt who invited Rob to contribute three songs to a compilation album called 'Shared' which was released in the Summer of 2009 to great reviews from the industry and public alike.

Rob is currently taking time out from his busy gigging schedule to record his debut album.

Reviews

Rob's songs truly are extensions of his personality. The three songs he chose to record for this album embody the same intelligence, humour and curious confessional nature that are immediately apparent when you sit down to share a pint with him. Mo & Bob Macauley had often rhapsodised to both Erica and I of Rob's performances at the Horseshoe Inn and when we finally saw him play we fully understood their enthusiasm.
... I've seen him silence an audience far too many times to consider him anything less than a true songsmith.

Rob Dunsford's 'Millionaire' sounds inordinately like Liam Dullaghan's band The Have-Nots in the bittersweet blend of male and female vocals, but it's the slightly fuller sound of 'Dashboard Therapy', helped immensely by the accordion, which really catches my attention. There's someone else in there who he reminds me of a little, it may well be Rob from The Voluntary Butler Scheme, but that'll come to me in time. It's not as if I won't be listening to these tracks again, as a quick look at last.fm will tell you!

He has written a love song that will make all other love songs curtsy in its presence, plus a whole bunch of other fantastic tunes... a very talented song writer!

Rob Dunsford was next, this time augmented by accordion & female backing vocal & won me over with this approach ... The melancholic 'Millionaire' showcases his velvety voice perfectly, and in 'Dashboard Therapy' ("We drive all night & sleep all day" – as a friend observed, "How very nocturnal of you"), he has one of the day's & albums highlights. Rob again has played at The Horseshoe many times & I most certainly look forward to catching him again soon (if he sticks around the area long enough, that is – please do, Rob).

Rob Dunsford's 'Dashboard Therapy' - song of the year for me.

Soft voiced Scottish born Rob Dunsford cites Thompson and Martyn as prime influences and writes playful confessional songs that underline his traditional folk and blues inclinations, Don't Go To The Other Side of the World revealing a spry sense of humour and Dashboard Therapy borrowing its tune from Froggy Went A Courting.

Rob Dunsford has possibly written two of the best songs I've ever heard, a friend of mine & quite possibly a genius, his songs "Don't Go To The Otherside of The World" (with the amazing line "You know that you've got problems when a girl puts an entire planet inbetween her & you") and "Dashboard Therapy" (which now makes entire venues stop, stare, tap along & even sing along) are going to make him a lot bigger at festivals in the summer, with help from Eric Heath on the Accordian/Melodeon he is just a down-to-earth kinda guy playing his guitar & singing about his life, make sure you check him out....

This 20-track compilation falls into the category of a "tribute" album to the renowned singer/songwriter Townes Van Zandt, rather than being a compilation of the most famous or interesting interpretations of Van Zandt compositions that have appeared since his career began in the 1960s. As is the case with many such tribute albums, many, and likely most, of the names won't be familiar to the average listener or even Van Zandt fan. Exceptions might be Shane MacGowan (who does "Waitin' Round to Die" with Mighty Stef), Stan Ridgway and Peter Case (who perform "If I Was Washington" as a duo), Johnny Dowd (who does "No Place to Fall" with Billy Coté), and the late Van Zandt himself (who sings the Michael Weston King composition "Riding the Range" with the Calvins). It might not sound too appealing on paper, but as heretical as it might be to state this, some people not schooled in Van Zandt's own work might find it in some senses more listenable than Van Zandt's own recordings. That's not to say that these are superior to (or a match for) the originals, but they in some way have more sonic variety than the average Van Zandt record, particularly in the vocal department. The arrangements and the largely male-sung interpretations are straightforward, no-frills, competent, respectful, and largely faithful to the songwriter's dark country-folk vibe, although some occasional harder rocking touches sound inappropriate. Ninety-nine pence from the sale of every copy goes to the QE2 Activity Centre, which provides activities for people with disabilities.

Bought this album because of Dirty Ray but found so much more to like. There is not a duff track on it and some damn fine tunes. Currently can't stop singing Dashboard Therapy. We need MORE British road songs.....