"Not a dull moment in (Bootleg USA's) 67 minutes of music...(Martin) remains one of the best interpreters of traditional music, both instrumentally and in song. Few guitarists can match his fluidity, control, and tonal quality. His wife, Jessica Radcliffe, (is) a vastly underrated songwriter." - Jim Lee, Dirty Linen - 12/99

"Elegant, emotional and adventurous, Cool & Unusual .is another superb example of Simpson's expanding textural palette and impeccable taste. "- Michael Parrish , Sing Out!

"When it comes to modern day acoustic guitar players, Britain's Martin Simpson has few equals. He is a master of technique and tone and a slide guitarist of incredible talent. He is a true visionary when it comes to melding ethnic music, and he displays all this and more in his latest album, Cool & Unusual . (Red House). Simpson draws on a kaleidoscopic array of musical backgrounds for this exotic outing. Joining him in this exciting venture are slide guitarists David Lindley and Kelly Joe Phelps, as well as a variety of other players. Despite the fact that most of the music is traditionally based, many musical genres are cross-pollinated with surprising ease. The short but intricate Simpson original, "Shepherd's Delight," shows off his virtuoso skills at fingerpicking, while the banjo-led "Stole And Sold From Africa" shows a rootsier side to his music and also features some stunning slide guitar. If you enjoy the music of David Lindley or Ry Cooder, this album is an essential purchase!" -Mick Skidmore, Relix , Year End Record Reviews, a list of notable releases in '98.

" His performances elicit powerful emotions and subtle, understated beauty...sheer mastery of the acoustic guitar...A Master Musician." ­ Guitar Player

"Richly captivating" - Fingerstyle Guitar

"(His) work is marked by an uncanny attention to detail and tone, and a refreshingly sincere kind of melancholy, with a solo guitar voice as conversational and expressive as any great singer." -Pulse

"A virtuoso folkie tinged with classical and bluegrass banjo technique, Martin Simpson has an engaging personality under a veneer of English reserve. It is this capacity for engagement, or empathy, that informs his playing and makes him a fine teacher for fingerstyle guitarists in the intermediate to advanced range. (On the Homespun video set) his explanations of intervals and chord shapes as he zips around the neck should help to open up the fingerboard for duffers, and his 'frailing' - a method of banging the strings with the back of his nails - should suggest all kinds of cool possibilities for more serious musicians." -Musician

"..Deep and intensely emotional." - Guitar Player

"(Cool and Unusual contains) an intoxicating mix with twists and turns of stunning innovation." - The Music Box .

"Technically stunning, (Cool and Unusual ) will move you, awe you, inspire you, and break your heart over and over." - Victory Review .

"Mesmerizing, devastating...the finest acoustic guitarist of our age."- BBC Thames Valley, Oxford, England.

"Martin is a great musician with depth and feeling rarely found in any art form. Smoke and Mirrors .is a sixty minute trip to a beautiful ethereal place where the past, present and future melt into timelessness. What more could anyone ask for? I give it five stars." ­ Steve Miller

"Smoke and Mirrors ...is an aggressive, original, and satisfying blues release which unveils a whole new side of Simpson's personality. Simpson's playing is as crisp and articulate as ever, but the real surprise is his powerful and dynamic vocal work. He howls, moans, and sounds like a man possessed...a truly unique sound." ­ Acoustic Guitar

"Smoke and Mirrors ...is powerful and remarkable. Simpson's resonant, declarative singing voice is full of ominous melancholy, and his assured handling of the guitar is extraordinary...on 'Spoonful' the subtle interplay between Ronnie Earl's electric guitar and Hank Roberts' cello turns the song inside out. Howlin' Wolf would be proud." ­Steven Rosen, Denver Post

"Smoke and Mirrors .comes together beautifully, like a merger of prewar blues and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Unreservedly recommended." ­ Living Blues

"His guitar playing, tempered by years of accompanying vocalists, has an eloquence that need recognize few peers." ­ Folk Roots

"As perhaps the last of the great British Isles guitarists who rose to prominence during the late 60s and early 70s, Simpson has taken the music of that era to new levels and in new directions. -Fingerstyle Guitar

"The range of guitar styles with which he is at ease (on Red Roses ) puts him on a par with the best there is. Why he isn't as famous as the likes of Cooder or Thompson I've no idea." ­ Simon Rowland, Rock 'n' Reel (UK)

"Martin Simpson is a splendid guitarist, who attracts more hero worship than any musician on the British folk circuit." ­ Colin Randall, London Daily Telgraph

"Simpson's technique and arrangements make for some beautifully lush and evocative music. He can take a phrase and squeeze it to produce layers of irony and nuance." ­ Option