The juxtaposition of art and science is alive and kicking when Findlay Napier and Megan Henwood get their heads together. Fresh from a pre-pandemic debut outing of The Story Song Scientists, the unlikely pairing of an established Scottish folk singer-songwriter and one from Oxfordshire with a tendency to blend some indie style electronica into her music is back and right on cue to entertain and educate in equal portions. QUANTUM LYRICS is basically five stories doubling to ten tracks when each one has a song and multi media piece attached. The result is an album quite like no other, and hugely satisfying when you ultimately digest the content.
The pick of the conventional songs is the country tinged 'Lo and Behold' where the duo cleverly weave in a clash of the technology giants personifying the twin phenomena of Siri and Alexa. From the multi media inclusions, a recording of the manifesto of the Cloud Appreciation Society inspires, enthrals and commands many a repeat play to let its ethos for dreamers sink in. As you would expect, the song accompanying the latter is full of ethereal splendour.
The most intriguing and eye catching of the rest doubles up as a news report and a song titled 'Ode to the Man with the Golden Arm'. The story behind this input is an Australian man famed for a status of prolific blood plasma donor that incredibly resulted in over a million babies owing the gratitude of their lives to this ultimate act of practical kindness. This pairing contrasts a highly explicit and informative media clip with a song, subtle and implicit in its title
The album opens with a reading of a Byron poem that leads into the bluesy '1800 and Froze to Death'. Like every inch of the record, the details are meticulously researched and creatively curated. 'The Anarchist's Cookbook' completes the set of The Story Song Scientists Part 2 proving the most left field addition, both in the subject content and the futuristic multi media accompaniment.
To neatly package their second assault on the duality of science and art, Napier and Henwood label each multi media piece Specimen 1 - 5 and carefully position it next to the song. Although the order does randomly rotate as you wouldn't expect artists to be ultimately governed by structure and place.
QUANTUM LYRICS is one of those albums that you need to weigh up first and then align your appetite to what The Story Song Scientists set out to do. Once in place you can truly value what Findlay Napier and Megan Henwood have accomplished in this side project. The pair hit the road shortly to bring you part two of their adventure. Expect a little solo input as well as you sit down to marvel how well science and art can entwine.
