After two years in the lab The Story Song Scientists are back with their new EP ‘Quantum Lyrics’ and ready to tour the UK sharing more astonishing discoveries through the medium of alternative acoustic music. From clouds to volcanoes, blood to explosives, their data research has led to fascinating findings which have been meticulously dissected and creatively reassembled for your aural and cerebral pleasure. This tour features brand new material as well as songs from their self titled EP released in 2018.
Though The Story Song Scientists may be completely unqualified in both science and education, they wear lab coats and are well versed in the art of song. So join them on an informative performance journey through time and space, blending music, laughter, lasers and maybe one or two vaguely interesting facts.
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Megan Henwood and Findlay Napier (aka The Story Song Scientists) met at Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh in 2016 - a few hours into an EFDSS (English Folk Dance Song Society) run song-writing retreat. They are outside drinking their 7th coffee of the morning! Napier’s driven nine hours from Glasgow and is a bit wobbly. Henwood’s back from a month-long writing trip to Nashville and she is jet lagged and delusional.
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“Fancy writing a song about maths?” Napier enquires. And so the seed for this songwriting partnership was sewn. Their collaboration has led to the creation of songs about a hermit known as The North Pond Phantom, WBAI host Bob Fass’ lifesaving broadcast on 6th Nov 1971, Georg Cantor’s struggle with infinity, maths and God plus something about Shepherds and leaders.
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Megan Henwood
Megan Henwood is young Brit of bold acoustic creativity who broadens her palette with every release. 2015’s exceptional Head, Heart, Hand was a tough act to follow, but she’s done just that with her third album River.
Ever-inquisitive, Henwood doesn’t just repeat that winning formula but conducts new experiments in alt-folk, this time with elements of jazz and electronica. ‘Elements’ is the keyword, too, with recurring watery themes (notably on Fresh Water, with a terrific trumpet solo by Jonny Enser) and observations on the world outside her door. Join The Dots is another favourite, but her sensuous voice and delicate songcraft repay every new play.
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PRESS:
“Henwood’s debut announced her as a promising new voice on the contemporary English folk scene; this confirms her as one of its finest exponents”
Folk Radio UK
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“Some of the most astute lyrics ever written – Diverse, compelling and instantly accessible”
Penny Black
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“A powerful set of songs boasting the finest lyrics this reviewer has heard in a while” Album of the Week, Sunday Express
“Raw nerves are constantly prodded –
She has moved far beyond (Folk’s) parameters into a world where anything is possible” Q Magazine
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“A study in meticulous attention to detail, whether in Henwood’s lyrical economy or the minimalist playing of everyone involved” R2 Magazine
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“Sublimely understated” Fatea Magazine
“Painstakingly crafted” Acoustic Magazine
“Unaffected intimacy” Guitarist Magazine
“Surprisingly exhilarating” fRoots
Findlay Napier
indlay Napier is one of Scotland's finest singer songwriters. In 2018 he was the first solo act to be nominated for Live Act of the Year at the Scot’s Trad. Music Awards. Described as Micheal Marra meets Elvis Costello, a Caledonian Loudon Wainwright III or a Scottish James Taylor this master storyteller's songs are full of earthy humour, hopeless love and biting satire.
His remarkable 2015 solo debut VIP: Very Interesting Persons (produced by Boo Hewerdine) was number two in the Daily Telegraph’s top dozen folk albums that year and categorically commanded him musical VIP status. In 2017 he turned those same supreme songwriting gifts and truly magnificent vocals, to his adoptive home town Glasgow on VIP’s hotly anticipated follow-up.
2019 saw his collaboration with award winning songwriter Megan Henwood tour across the UK in support of their Story Song Scientist’s EP. Their Quantum Lyrics tour and second EP are coming in November 2021. His album of new songs with producer Angus Lyon called “It Is What It Is is released when he supports Eddi Reader on her autumn 2021 UK tour.
Findlay was one of a handful of international artists to be picked for Global Music Match 2021.
PRESS:
"... one of the finest songwriters and storytellers of the contemporary Scottish folk scene." Folk Radio UK (Glasgow)
"Coming on like a Caledonian Loudon Wainwright ... A superbly crafted compilation of Songs" Acoustic Magazine (Glasgow)
“★★★★★ #2 Twelve Best Folk Music Albums of 2015: An inventive and engaging album... Findlay Napier (the sweet voice behind the beard)... an original engaging treat." Martin Chilton, The Telegraph (VIP)
"He's good and he's really funny too! He's got that classic brilliant banter with the audience as well. Lovely to hear the storytelling in the songs as well as inbetween. A wonderful cacophony of bizarre and brilliant tales of real people." Edith Bowman- BBC Quay Sessions (Live)
"An insurgent talent...a wonderful singer... [Napier] proves he has a songwriting talent to match" The Morning Star (Glasgow)
“★★★★ One of the most intriguing and enjoyable albums… a collection of cracking songs that all add up to a cracking album… his voice has a mesmerising addictive quality to it… fabulous arrangements and very classy production… It’s brave creative and a smashing listen”
Maverick Magazine (VIP)
"Napier’s stagecraft is charmingly relaxed and cultivates an engrossed and interested audience." Ravechild, Peter Johnstone (Live)
★★★★★ "Songs full of earthy humour, hopeless love and biting satire… more ‘Michael Marra meets Elvis Costello’ than contemporary tradition.” Folk Radio UK (VIP)