Someone asks a question
To someone in a room
Of power law and distance
In baskets of balloons
It's all so scientific
Natural scientific
We've got it scientific
Now
Now
Never touched by radio
There's something on the air
And you generate and you radiate
Solutions everywhere
It's all so scientific
Natural scientific
We've got it scientific
Now
Now
You are material
An observation
Look at all the people
Standing in their lives
In a world of wonder
A haven dipped in science
It's all so scientific
Natural scientific
We've got it scientific
Now
Now
It's all so scientific
Natural scientific
We've got it scientific
Now
Ooh Now
It's all so scientific
Natural scientific
We've got it scientific
Now
Now
The track starts with a delightful bleepy synth, then Tony's (by now) classic acoustic strums - it would feature extensively - the bass (drum?) kicks in, and the almost bell-like synth tops the sound off. It lacks the standard type of percussion, yet despite this has a very full sound. The 12-string really stands out throughout.
Tony seems to have used compression to emphasise the sibilance on his vocal. (Simon Croft's interview makes note of this, and how some of these techniques pushed the recording limits of the vinyl medium). Typical Mansfield-isms abound throughout here: echo drenched everything with vocal pre-echo throughout, and (what sounds to me like) reversed hand claps. Nice touches, and again, very advanced for the vintage.
There is another one of those superb, pensive synth breaks at 1:20, which lasts for 26 seconds and where we are treated to some more of those lovely 'buzzy' synths, before it bursts back to life again with bleepy synth. Tony really understands these breaks, and how they work in a song. Most artists would never have even thought of the idea.
There's a sense of urgency, and it's undoubtedly another energetic track - the bass almost giving it a bouncy sound. Lyrically I suppose it questions life in the all pervasive modern technological age. A refreshing subject for a song - more intelligent and thought provoking than your typical song. The use of high-tech modern electronic instruments work to emphasise the subject.
"Science" typifies From A To B's rich, warm, analogue sound.
A really good tune right to the very end, with the way all the layers break down one by one before the final remaining synth suddenly shifts to the right speaker in true unexpected Mansfield fashion. Very nice!
94/100
(Richard M)
I've always loved the repeated synth sequence which opens this track. Yes, all the classic NM touched are here. The familiar synth sounds, gallons of guitars, white-noise stabs. I love the instrumental interlude at the 1:30 mark. The vocals initially are quite dry, but the reverse echo soon appears!
Short but sweet, a great ending also with the synth pad leaving one channel before the other. For some reason, one of the lesser played tracks on this album for me.
"You are material an observation". Now, what does that mean? :-)
(Graham G)
"You are material; an observation".
... for me this quote typifies how science works, ie your material being is only an observation by an observer; you aren't important but the observation is. A great little tune though, not one of my favourites at the time but great nonetheless. I like the instrumental break in the middle with the nice bass synth, but his bass synth sounds got better and crunchier with future recordings (Changing Minds, Hunting). Remember the headline 'The Appliance of Science'? Was that Smash Hits?
(Rich E)
One of my faves that has been on a couple comps I made for friends.
Love the highly compressed 12 string guitar sound that is one of Tony's many signatures. (pre-dating this song, Tony's 12 string sound can be heard on Maggie Britton's "Josephine").
Lovely bouncy bass that keeps my thumbs tapping my steering wheel while I drive.
The ending is a perfect example of how they layered monophonic synths on multiple tracks. Simon Croft explains this well in his write up (an essential read for NM fans!).
(Nuppy)