"The Missing gift is the second release from multi-instrumentalist Anna Massie, Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2003 , who features on fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo, and tenor guitar, in her regular pairing with guitarist/singer Jenn Butterworth and accordionist/piper Mairearead Green. Massie’s other credit is as author of no less than 17 of the album’s 28 tunes, a sparkling, beautifully varied selection that highlights the players’ assertive individual prowess, near telepathic attunement and seemingly inexhaustible inventiveness. The breadth of Massie’s talents continues to amaze – she particularly dazzles as a guitar picker – but for the most part this is very much a group effort, continually adding up to more than the sum of its parts, with two vocal covers revealing Butterworth as a singer of considerable promise." Sue Wilson, Sunday Herald

“In recent years it has sometimes seemed as though the Celtic music world is overrun with energetic young players and bands.  Anna Massie, Jenn Butterworth and Maireread Green have originality in both writing and interpretation, finely tuned senses of humor, good friendships and musical collaboration, along with outstanding musicality and deep appreciation of their native Scots traditions, which mark their work as several long cuts above the rest.
Each wrote part of the music on their second recording. Their are several traditional tunes, along with covers of Steven Foster's "Hard Times" and Si Khan's "What You Do With What You Got". Most of the tracks are instrumental sets, with lively conversation among Massie's fiddling, Butterworth's guitar and Green's pipes holding centre stage. The friendly, engaging and highly musical stage presence translates well to this recording, without the banter and storytelling to go along. It is about the music, and these three have fresh ideas backed with deep traditional skills and creative imaginations enough to keep that conversation going for a long time.”    Kerry Dexter, Dirty Linen

"Massie's agile fingers rise to the challenge of the intricate Swedish jig which leads off the solo Blue Angel set, it would be easy to take her guitar playing for that of a much more experienced hand. That this is followed by her picking up the fiddle to play alongside Mairearad Green's equally impressive accordion, only adds to the evidence of a remarkable talent, one that also extends to writing 17 of the 28 tunes. But this is certainly no solo album. Green gets to display her own inventive playing  on pipes as well as box, and guitarist Jenn Butterworth reveals a fine voice on the two songs. Three talented ladies, one seemingly attuned unit. Missing Gift? Certainly not. The trio's musical gifts are patently obvious." Calum MacLeod, Inverness Courier

"From the very start this album sparkles with life, the three girls perfectly matched in terms of musical initiative. The fiddle technique is breathtaking, the rhythmical effects of the ornamentation driving the tunes onwards. The rich deep tone of the violin on the melody line is set off against the varied guitar/accordion accompaniment, whilst at other times the accordion, banjo, guitar, border pipes or voice take the tune. As well as altering the combination of instruments the style of arrangements varies throughout, ranging from the energetic to the mellow. Over two thirds of the tunes were composed by members of the band themselves and these are as inventive, clever and lively as the names given to them. The entire collection is an inspiration to listen to - again and again and again." Alice Little, FiddleOn – Summer Autumn 2006

"Uptempo, contemporary acoustic folk.****
One challenge for a roots-based instrumental album is capturing the excitement of the live sound in the studio. With Donald Shaw's guiding hand as producer, this album comes very close to doing so. Lead musician Anna Massie excels across a range of instruments including guitars, banjo, mandolin and fiddle, and also contributes to vocals. As on her earlier album, Glad Company, Massie is joined by fellow young Scottish musicians Jenn Butterworth on guitar and Mairearad Green on accordion and border pipes, though both play a more prominent part this time. The 15 sets cover an impressive 31 tunes, with no less than 17 of these being by Massie. Somewhat surprisingly for an acoustic folk album, only three of the tunes are traditional. The album is predominantly upbeat and fast-paced, with some tight playing and slick tune changes. Slower numbers, such as Green's 'Maggie West's', allow Massie's lyrical fiddle playing to shine. The band is at its vibrant best on 'Navigator', showcasing some particularly fine accordion playing by Green." Andy Jurgis, Songlines – July August 2006

"Anna Massie popped up on the Scottish music scene a couple of years ago, with an impressive CD of Scottish tunes played on fiddle, flat- picked guitar and mandolin. Along the way she picked up the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award in 2003 and she is back with a second CD ably supported by guitarist and singer Jenn Butterworth and accordion player Mairearad Green. This is wonderfully well played music from three young women who have an average age in their early 20s. Massie's playing only gets better and we can only wait with interest to see what they will be doing in ten years time." Folk by Graham McDonald

"This is an enormous leap forward from Anna Massie's debut CD. The arrangements are strong, the music is engaging, and the tunes are just great. Anna Massie plays fiddle, mandolin, banjo and guitars. She's joined by Mairearad Green on piano box and border pipes, and Jenn Butterworth on guitar. Anna contributes seventeen of her own compositions, among them the excellent jig Farting Badger, The Scone's Removal, and the reel Time For Bed. Mairearad wrote three of the tunes here, including the jaunty reel which supplies the title. Blue Angel is the only all-traditional track, starting with Arthur Daley's Swedish Jig, and is one of Anna's two solos: she plays stunning lead and backing guitar on this one. It's not all fast fiddling and fretted frenzy, though. Maggie West's is a gorgeous waltz in the West Coast style, another of Mairearad's tunes, perfectly handled on the box. Nice border piping too, particularly on Mairearad's other composition Dave & Sheila's." Alex Monaghan, IMM

"Crisp and fresh as a newly scrumped apple, I challenge anyone not to delight in this album. Fourteen peachy tracks, not one of them bruised, give excellent value for money, and the progression from pipes or accordion backed sets through to dual guitar accompaniments gives a sort of two bands for the price of one feel to the listening experience without any loss of overall cohesion.
Anna Massie stood out on a previous Taplas compilation CD and again on the Glorious Scotland CD I reviewed way back when, and no wonder, given she has been crowned Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2003, Best Instrumentalist in the 2005 Scots Trad Music Awards, whilst the band earned the title Best Up and Coming Band at the 2004 Scots Traditional Music Awards. She is an extraordinarily gifted multi-instrumentalist, handling fiddle, guitars, mandolin and banjo with dazzling accomplishment, and who must have been given her first instrument whilst still in the womb. And more, she writes a pretty melody, penning no fewer than seventeen of the album's twenty eight tunes.
Jenn Butterworth plays guitar and sings the album's two songs brilliantly - perhaps the only missing element to this young band is original song writing. The girls don't manage this - yet. Finally, the highly creative and proficient piper/accordionist Mairearad Green is added to this musical salad. I urge you to rush out and taste right now!" Caroline John, Taplas
 

This CD is available to buy online at Foot Stompin Celtic Music