All Music Guide (reviewed by Chris Nickson)

"The duo of Angus Lyon and Ruaridh Campbell might be young, but don't equate age with a lack of ability. Lyon is a wizard on various accordions (just listen to his playing on "Barachois," where he flows wonderfully both in front and behind the melody), while Campbell is a gorgeously expressive fiddler. The bulk of the material springs from their own pens, heavily steeped in the Scots tradition, but still very individual, especially on the slower airs like "Joining of the Spirits," where Campbell's tone shines with Lyon supporting on piano. And they're not afraid to take some chances -- "Mirrlees Lane" seems to waft in on waves of sound like a seashore. Subtly done, but imaginative and quite hypnotic. They're fabulous on the few traditional cuts -- Campbell mimics a hen's strut masterfully on "The Hen's March O'er the Midden," and their own set of jigs is delightful, taken at an ideal tempo. Still, it's impossible not to feel that their hearts lie most firmly in the slow airs, and closing with the gorgeous "Seaforth" is a good move, highlighting their strengths of melody and control. But then again, they're solid in everything. And they certainly deserve to become better-known."

www.livelreland.com (reviewed by Bill Margeson)

"Nothing "simple" here at all. This is music in the Scottish tradition. Deeply grounded in the more general Celtic genre, these two young lads show the way with some of the most inventive and enjoyable recordings we've heard in a long time. Topping the list is the fourth cut on the album, Sue's Celebration, written by Ruaridh. Seldom, if ever, have we heard such an enchanting and riveting piece of music. Unbelievably, this cut combines a tango with a reel !! Who would have thunk it! It is wonderful. And, talk about different !! These guys are incredibly creative on every tune. Like the Instrumental Album of the Year two years back, At First Light, by John Mc Sherry and Michael McGoldrick, this album features selections that change from glorious jigs to the faster birling reels at the drop of a hat. Each selection has to be listened to all the way through, or you may miss the 49 things changing and whirling through each one. These two are remarkably gifted musicians who share with a pure traditionalist like John Daly one thing. They all share a perfect sense of what they are about. Men at work. Comfortable and having a ball, all this is only possible with the highest sense of musicianship. This album is a major contender for Instrumental Album of the Year. As is Daly's. Surely, the front runner right now for Instrumental Cut of the Year must be , HAS to be!! , Sue's Celebration! Wow! Are these guys good! Great production helps them with their totally fresh take on the tradition. Lochshore has put out some fantastic stuff from Scotland in the last few years, but nothing has been better than this. Nothing. This is a full wonder of a thing. WOW! Rating: Four Harps"

Sing Out! The Folk Song Magazine (Reviewed by Rob Weir)

"Angus Lyon and Ruaridh Campbell apply... [an]... unhurried approach to accordion and fiddle. They also offer contrast. "Boo's" is a set of jigs that begins with a whisper, until Campbell's fiddle hastens the pace and the jig resolves into a reel. On "Gehan's Farewell," guest guitarist [ Alan Train] sets a crisp pace, while Lyon and Campbell add a light, percussive balance. They soak "Seaforth" in atmospheric saltiness, give a French treatment to a tune with an Italian title ("Il Vino Libero Tutta La Notte"), and work in some blusey Fraser Spiers harmonica on "Barachois." This young Scottish duo bears watching."

FolkWorld CD Reviews (Reviewed by Michael Moll)

"This is a highly inspiring CD of Scottish instrumental folk music at its very best. Angus and Ruaridh are two excellent young musicians, with a lot of feeling and passion for their music. Angus plays on this album piano and accordions, while Ruaridh plays violin and viola. The two give each other plenty of room to showcase their skills, yet their playing together is rather perfect. Both also compose music in the traditional style; in fact their own compositions are the highlights of this album. To help them a bit out, some guests appear on the album, most notably Fraser Spiers with his distinctive harmonica playing.

A brilliant album of traditional Scottish music with that special twist which makes it exciting and memorable."

(http://www.folkworld.de/26/e/cds2.html)

Worldbeat Canada Feature Albums (Reviewed by Cal Koat)

"What amazes me most about Celtic music is how, in the hands of even only a pair of skilled players, simple melodies can be transformed into symphonies... With a bouncy acoustic bass accompanying the duo, Mirrlees Lane exemplifies the rich and subtle textures four talented hands can evoke. Simple tricks indeed."

(http://www.worldbeatcanada.com/feature_album1.htm)

Living Tradition (Issue No. 53) CD Reviews (Reviewed by Danny Saunders)

"On first playing "Simple Tricks" the thing that struck me immediately was how professional the music sounds. Of course with the pedigree of the performers (both multi award winners) you would expect a flawless performance, which you get, but there is more to it than that. It is the attention to detail, both in the playing and the arrangements that gives this music such polish.

Angus plays accordions and piano and Ruaridh plays violin and viola. They are joined by first rate guest musicians, Steve Lawrence - bouzouki, guitar and percussion; Duncan Lyall - double bass; Alan Train - guitar; Fraser Spiers - harmonica and Mark Ockendon - snare and hi-hat. Their repertoire is a mixture of items of known composition, many by Angus and Ruaridh [individually] and traditional tunes all played with great skill and drive and a freshness that gives the listener new enjoyment even from old favourites like The Hen's March to the Midden, which is a joy but much too short.

When I tell you that as well as writing many of tunes, Angus and Ruaridh also produced "Simple Tricks" and together with D.P. Johnson mixed the CD (Ruaridh also designed the sleeve) it gives you a pretty fair idea of the talent this pair possess - don't forget, they also play instruments. "Simple Tricks" is a cracking CD and I can find no quibble at all, a gem, Highly recommended."

(http://www.folkmusic.net/htmfiles/webrevs/cdldl1310.htm)

THE FOLK DIARY - Review in the Oct / Nov issue

"These two young musicians, Angus playing piano and accordion and Ruaridh playing fiddle, have clearly been well schooled in all aspects of playing Scottish traditional dance music and they play their music with great skill and verve. They way that they tackle, for example, Scott Skinner's "Mackworth" going into "The Beeswing Hornpipe" mirrors the way that the best of Scottish musicians have played this sort of music for generations. They also contribute a number of their own compositions that are firmly in the tradition. However, they bring some elements from their own generation and lots of originality and freshness to their approach. A example of this would be the Ruaridh's playing of his " Mirrlees Lane" over Angus playing a Cajun-tinged accompaniment and fine percussion from Steve Lawrence."

Modern Dance – The A-Z Music Review Magazine

"I've said this before, but you can always rely on Lochshore to highlight all that's good in contemporary and traditional Scottish/Gaelic music and this is no exception. Angus and Ruaridh (that'll be pronounced Rory) form an accordion/piano fiddle duo that is energetic, passionate, melancholy and fun in equal amounts. This album is all instrumental, and guitar, bouzouki and percussion players galore ably accompany them. There are a scattering of traditional tunes but most are penned by the duo themselves, mainly about family and friends. They obviously share a love for traditional music and the album captures a complete spectrum of melody. This includes whirling reels to slow, graceful airs. One track that stands out for me is " Mirrlees Lane" - it starts with a resounding bass and appears to be heading into modern music territory but then the violins sweep in and produce a comfortable fusion of the trad and the new. Both these lads (and I say lads because they look like they're in their 20's and are reasonably fashion conscious) have won numerous competitions for their art and are apparently in great demand to play at concerts and recitals. For many people, traditional music is an acquired taste but this album should please many people who can just switch on and be washed over by the lilting rhythms."

THE SCOTS MAGAZINE

"Fans of the expertly-played accordion and fiddle (or violin, for the perjink amongst us) are bound to enjoy Simple Tricks, from Angus Lyon and Ruaridh Campbell, virtuosi on the respective instruments, to say nothing of piano and viola as well.

Add in contributions by Steve Lawrence, Duncan Lyall, Alan Train, Fraser Spiers and Mark Ockendon, and the sum is a collection of great charm and not a little good feeling, from the deceptively laid-back beginning of the opening track to the light-hearted merriment of "Freewheeling To Kings House", with occasional excursions to the more exotic climes of Italy and Germany, before heading back to Biggar and Rosemarkie.

Good fun and even better musicianship."

The Sunday Herald **** (reviewed by Sue Wilson)

"The latest new wave of Scottish folk talent keeps on rolling, as evinced by the debut duo recording from the partnership of accordionist/pianist Angus Lyon and fiddler Ruaridh Campbell.
Lyon was a six-times winner at the British Accordion Championships, and released his first solo album, Long Roads, in 2001, while Campbell took top prize at the annual Glenfiddich Fiddle Championships last October.

However, Simple Tricks has a lot more going for it besides traditional and technical credentials.
Compositional flair, for one -- a good two-thirds of the material consists of Lyon or Campbell originals -- matched by a facility for thoughtfully adventurous arrangements. Tunes like The Panic (written two nights before a Sixth Year Studies music coursework deadline), or Miss Michelle Grehan's Farewell to Her Degree -- she'd gone on tour instead of studying -- might stir anxieties in parental breasts about putting their offspring on the stage, but the former is a brilliantly evocative piece of mood music, while the latter is a pretty, mellow, aptly wistful concoction played over mingled blues and reggae beats.
Though never flashy in their approach, neither player is averse to a bit of flamboyance, as in their playfully virtuosic frolic through The Hen's March O'er the Midden."

Mary Ann Kennedy – BBC Scotland, Celtic Connections

"Ruaridh and Angus' "Simple Tricks" is well-named - an album of strong duo playing with minimum fuss and maximum ability. While they are joined by an illustrious guest list, there is no temptation to put their musical puddings out for treacle - the additions to the core sound of box, piano and fiddle are tastefully restrained and let the duo sing out. The album covers a wide range, from set-piece flash fiddle standards with classic village hall piano vamp to more contemporary arrangements leaning towards jazz and sometimes even a Scandinavian starkness. If some of these arrangements are, structurally and melodically, less tight than they could be, there is a great imagination to them and Angus' use of the accordion as rhythm section is one of the defining sounds of the album.

For my money, the two best tracks on "Simple Tricks" are Mirlees Lane for its polish and drive and the darkly beautiful final slow air Seaforth. The true strength in this album however, is when the two voices of fiddle and box sing as one with the easy unity acquired through long association that one might expect from older fingers."

The Inverness Courier (reviewed by Calum Macleod)

"Simple tricks maybe, but Messers Lyon and Campbell make a fine job of brightening up that tired old box (Angus) and fiddle (Ruaridh) combination. Deftly flitting between the Continental cafe music of “Il Vino Libero Tutta La Notte” to the Phil Cunningham-style showmanship of “Barachois” via some nice tunes for Campbell’s Granny and a cheeky airing for “The Hen’s March O’er The Midden”, the pair take turns to grab the limelight and frequently impress. Campbell’s fiddle pyrotechnics on the self-penned opening reel and jig hooks you early on, while contributions from Fraser Speirs’s bluesy harmonica, Duncan Lyall’s authoritative double bass and Steve Lawrence on guitar/bouzouki/percussion nicely round out the sound."

The Scotsman (reviewed by Catriona Black)

"I'm just listening for the first time now to Simple Tricks by Angus Lyon and Ruaridh Campbell (the fiddler - not the singer or the piper). This young duo write their own tunes, and play them on fiddle, box and piano.

Returning to my words from the top of the column, this is new music with new tricks, new styles and new sounds. But the important thing is that the tunes are still pretty traditional-sounding, played with both experience and maturity. Although most of them are very lively - like Panic, written by Ruairidh when he was still at school - there are also some slower ones which show great subtlety, like Joining of the Spirts that Angus wrote with his father.

You get the feeling that Simple Tricks is a precious thing, made carefully with lots of love and hard work."

www.greenmanreview.com (reviewed by Lars Nilsson)

"A little more than a year ago Scottish accordionist and pianist Angus Lyon made his solo debut with the fine album Long Road. It was a Moving Hearts-inspired effort which gave me lots of enjoyment and I was thrilled when Simple Tricks turned up in my mailbox.

This time Lyon has teamed up with Ruaridh Campbell, a fiddler presently gaining a reputation in the Scottish folk music world. Among other achievements he has recently won the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship. While moving from performing solo to being part of a duo Lyon has also altered the sound. Simple Tricks is an completely acoustic album with a very folky atmosphere. To me it brings back fond recollections of Chris Leslie's work with Beryl Marriot, Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham and the Wrigley Sisters' Skyran, to name but a few.

As usual Lyon switches between accordion and piano, using the first when he is playing melodies and sometimes the latter when accompanying Campbell's fiddle. They are joined by Steve Lawrence on bouzouki and guitar ( Lawrence was also a guest on Lyon's Long Road), Duncan Lyall on double bass, Alan Train on guitar, Frasier Spiers -- who seems to be playing with everyone these days -- on harmonica for a few tracks, and Mark Ockendom on percussion.

Most of the tunes on the all instrumental Simple Tricks are composed by either Lyon and Campbell. There are a few exceptions: Scott Skinner's "Mackworth", a hornpipe getting a gentle treatment with just fiddle and piano;; "Barachois Reel", by someone called C. Armstrong, which Lyon performs almost solo in a wild fashion as the beginning of a set called just "Barachois;" the traditional "McArthus Road", a smooth tune played as a duet with Speirs' harmonica and a rhythmic guitar submitting a scenic background.

Both Lyon and Campbell frequently show their ability to write memorable tunes, both in the form of slow, beautiful airs, like the set with Campbell's "Flowers for Mamie Wylie" and Lyon's "The Secret Wedding", or faster things, such as the set "Just Jigs."

Angus Lyon has once again shown his strengths. Given a few years he has the makings of a major contributor to the Scottish folk scene. In Ruaridh Campbell he has found a good musical partner, both as a composer and a player. Their instruments blend very well and with two composers instead of just one we get a wider variety and as a result improved quality.

I like this album very much. It has been running a lot in my CD player for the last month and it will certainly be kept in the pack of CDs frequently played long after this review has been completed. Highly recommended to anyone who likes the people I mentioned earlier in this piece, and of course anyone who liked Long Road."