Ross Ainslie and Jarlath Henderson

Five years on from their first album, Partners In Crime, Ross Ainslie and Jarlath Henderson seem to have created, if it were possible, an even closer musical bond with which their Border pipes and whistles and Uilleann pipes and whistles respectively can both move the listener profoundly and create an unstoppably exciting momentum. Air-Fix is almost, excuse the pun, a model album. Its opening tune, their late mentor Gordon Duncan's unspeakably beautiful Full Moon Down Under, could have used a crisper introduction and the drums make the sound just a bit too busy at times. But the two leaders' playing, especially on their duet of Bulgarian dance tune Smeceno Horo, is spectacular and Innes Watson's fiddle adds a strong extra character in arrangements that include an ear-catching, slightly Mahavishnu-esque Man Who Planted Trees. Henderson's singing of Paddy Casey's Anyone Who's Yet To Come and Gerry Rafferty's Look Over The Hill And Far Away introduces another dimension with its bashful, innocent-sounding charm. - The Herald Scotland

We're used to massed bagpipes these days but the combination of boarder and uilliean pipes is still unusual. Ross and Jarlath play whistles giving variety to their sound and they have a fine band including Ross's Treacherous Orchestra mates, Duncan Lyall, Innes Watson and Ali Hutton, who also lends a hand on the production. This isn't another TO however and Ross and Jarlath lean more towards the melodic although they can also lean forward when the need arises. Opening track 'Full Moon' begins quietly with acoustic guitar then whistles and fiddle before the pipes slip unobtrusively in from the wings, amble to centre stage and hit their mark for the second half of the set concluding with 'Connie from Constantinople'. Love that title.
There are two songs sung by Jarlath including a delicate and sensitive reading of Gerry Rafferty's 'Over the Hill and far Away'. As with many young Scottish groups, singing is a secondary consideration here but I do think that Jarlath should develop it. I could happily listen to an album of that sweet voice. - R2 (rock'n'reel)

When Ross Ainslie and Jarlath Henderson headed towards us on the cover of their debut PARTNERS IN CRIME four years ago, we all felt the rush of energy so much that we almost ducked out of the way to avoid the inevitable crash. There was a sense that these two outstanding musicians were going places and going there fast. Then followed the awards as too did the work, with a list of collaborations, bands and solo projects. Time then for a return to the duo format, where this time they are joined by Ali Hutton on guitar, Duncan Lyall on bass, James Macintosh on drums and Innes Watson on fiddle.

In contrast to the energetic dynamism displayed on the cover of their debut, AIR-FIX sees the pair in a pretty static state of motionless as they lie dormant within an injecting moulding sprue, ready to be assembled and put to work at any moment. Inside however, the music is just as lively and animated as before, the nine selections being mainly instrumental pieces based on both traditional and contemporary tunes, with one or two original self-composed tunes thrown in. The two songs featured are performed by Jarlath Henderson, Paddy Casey's Anyone Who's Yet To Come and Gerry Rafferty's timeless Look Over the Hill and Far Away, both featuring Alana Henderson helping her brother out on vocals.

The instrumentals also include the Bulgarian dance tune Smeceno Horo and a fine finale in the free-flowing workout Molly in the Fiddle Case, Kiss the Maid Behind the Barrel and The Hawk. There's no disputing the fact that once our air-fix models are assembled and glued together with a great deal of patience and attention to detail, we have in Ainslie and Henderson, two fine musicians, whose music is as fine and delicate as their tiny component parts displayed on the cover. - Northern Sky