by Elke Walter
Bardentreffen feature by Andreas Jordan
Reviews
German magazine Folker think the album is ace….
Click the link below then click Suche at the top of the page, then type Des Horsfall in the box and hit ‘Find’.
http://www.folker.de/nav/index.htm
PROPERGANDA
online article and indeed a hard copy version in the FABBO Properganda mag. Go and pick one up fer NOWT!
http://blog.propermusic.com/?p=28000
ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE
A great review from the top blokes at Acoustic Magazine.
“Des’s songs hint at greatness, with a good time feel of which Ronnie would have been proud”
Get your subscription here http://www.acousticmagazine.com
BLUES MATTERS
The good chaps at BM have given us a very nice review and placed us in their Top Ten albums list!
“an engaging mix of Country, Rock, and Folk-themed tunes”
“drink tea, and eat cake whilst enjoying Horsfall’s eccentric artistry”
BM is subscription only. You can buy BM 61 Aug/Sept 2011 at http://www.blues-matters.com/shop/
RECORD COLLECTOR
Stanley Unwin’s son joins in affectionate Ronnie Lane tribute
The prize for this month’s most lovingly-crafted package has to go to this CD-size hardcover book illustrating how aimless musician Horsfall underwent an epiphany after seeing the late Ronnie Lane’s visage in a cup of Yorkshire Gold tea during a gypsy woman’s fortune reading – compounded by a blast of his Anymore For Anymore album. For added listening pleasure, the charmingly-lavish presentation also includes a sachet of said tea.
FOLK AND ROOTS
If I didn’t know different, I’d have taken this record for a lost Ronnie Lane album, so striking is the similarity in vibe and sound on the opening track, a rollin’-rockin’, laid-back cover of Careless Love that strides an endearing and efficacious good-time way through the old chestnut and gives due breathing space for some tasty soloing along the way in time-honoured fashion. And as it turns out, my gut feelings weren’t at all misplaced, for Yorkshire roots-rocker Des has fully intended the album as a deliberate tribute to the late great Faces bassist. Not only does he closely observe Ronnie’s own arrangement of Careless Love here, but he’s also even recruited three of the musicians from Ronnie’s Slim Chance band (Benny Gallagher, Charlie Hart and Steve Simpson), and they sure deliver the goods here.
read more… (scroll down)
BACKROADS
Right from the off it is apparent that the making of The Good Gentleman’s Tonic has been a labour of love; every aspect, from the liner notes to the super-deluxe packaging, exhibits an almost obsessive attention to detail. The aim? To be inspired by (but steer clear of aping) Ronnie Lane’s 1970s output with Slim Chance. This Andy Bell-produced release takes in folk, country, blues and rock and is intended as the first in a trilogy of Kuschty Rye releases to mirror the albums put out by Slim Chance.
Judging this album as a release in its own right and divorcing it from the story of its conception is a difficult task. That said, it stands up well, is superbly produced and has moments that are truly engaging. ‘Tonic’ kicks off with “Careless Love,” a good time number that sounds like it’s played by a raggle-taggle band of gypsies. “Nothing New” is an extremely memorable accordion-driven number with great harmonies.
LIVE BLUES.INFO
This is a sumptuous package put together by country-roots rocker Des Horsfall to honour the late great Ronnie Lane. Des set out to make an album that would create a similar sound and feel to Ronnie’s post faces band Slim Chance. He called in some of Ronnie’s contemporaries to evoke the feeling of a travelling show that Slim Chance was known for, thus there are guest appearances by original Slim Chance members Benny Gallagher, Charlie Hart and Steve Simpson.
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MAVERICK five star review!!!
*****
The good folk at Maverick are raving about the album in the July 2011 issue (issue 108).
‘totally gob-smacked – it was fantastic’
‘The whole CD package is top class’
‘What a great tribute to one of music’s best loved stars’.
Maverick is subscription only. You can buy the July issue now for £2 at http://www.maverickcountry.com