PAPERNUT CAMBRIDGE – LOVE THE THINGS YOUR LOVER LOVES (Gare Du Nord LP, CD, D/L). PAPERNUT CAMBRIDGE – OTHER THINGS YOUR LOVER LOVES (Gare Du Nord Cassette).

Following the 2015 release of cover versions (Nutlets 1967-80 and the Sullivan’s Travels EP) which took on artists as diverse as T.Rex and Cockney Rebel through Lyndsey De Paul and Alvin Stardust to Mikey Dread and Jacky, Papernut Cambridge return with their fourth LP, Love The Things Your Lover Loves, which is another stick of 70s inspired post psychedelic Pop Rock with pure pop sensibility running through the heart of a sweet collection of twelve brand new songs. The Papernuts continue to be inspired by melodic vintage pop production and songwriting, their studies of early ’70s pop for last year’s Nutlets project have undoubtedly informed this album, and there are other touches too with Byrdsy Space-Country and a headrush of Badfinger meets the symphonic sweep of ELO lush guitar pop. Although best known for his work as long-time guitarist for Death In Vegas, Ian Button’s Papernut Cambridge project could not be further away from the Krautrock infused, Indie Rock of DiV and closer perhaps to the much earlier Thrashing Doves, of which Button was a founder member. His pop sensibilities are clear, as alongside Papernut Cambridge he’s also been involved in an ongoing writing/production collaboration with another 70s aficionado Lawrence and his band Go Kart Mozart on their latest material, as well as writing and playing as part of the recently formed John Howard & The Night Mail project. His band of collaborators in Papernut Cambridge, which comprises former Hefner members Darren Hayman and Jack Hayter, Gare Du Nord Records labelmates Robert Halcrow, Robert Rotifer and Ralegh Long, Citizen Hélène and Emma Winston, are an interconnected collective of players and bandmates that have brought to life what was originally conceived as the perfect imaginary 70s pop group revealed in a dream sometime in 1990.

A beautifully crafted record of classic songwriting, subjects include tips for making relationships work, fidelity, naivety, cults and ‘ologies, civilization and space, Love The Things Your Lover Loves takes its cues from the smart, sparkling British music made in the post psychedelic era of 10cc, T.Rex, Be Bop Deluxe, Cockney Rebel and ELO. Mix this with the mid 70s Power Pop vibe of bands like Big Star, The Raspberries and Cheap Trick, then you get a record full of slightly Psych tinged, radio friendly tunes that harks back to an age that for every triple vinyl concept album there was always a killer 7” single. The album as a whole seems designed to further illustrate the band’s love of the directness and fun of (making) pop music, their rejection of the confrontational or difficult, or music that’s too tied up in its own studied drama and earnestness, and all with a nod to the disposability, or at least limited longevity, of it all. Opening with the album’s title track, a Bolanesque Glam stomper straight from the Velvet Goldmine, Papernut Cambridge have recorded an album that avoids being a pastiche but will sound comfortably familiar to anybody who was a teenager in the 70s. You could say that, like the previous Papernut Cambridge albums, this record is a love letter to Ian Button’s formative influences as the band effortlessly move through various styles……… ‘I Promise You’ stylistically coming from the same musical landscape as Big Star/Alex Chilton while ‘Radio’ is straight out of the Jeff Lynne song book. The carefully mixed and matched flavours from the Papernut Cambridge extensive collection of '60s and '70s pop influences also take in the psychedelic shuffle of Mungo Jerry (Chartreuse), the big Scott Walker string arrangements ('Them'), the swirling guitars of Bill Nelson on ‘Mirology’ and ‘ I’m Stranded’ has a pastoral  vibe not a million miles away from the rootsy Folk Rock of Slim Chance. The standout track must be the gorgeous, spacy ‘Kardashev Fail’ where Papernut Cambridge ponder the future and an idea that a planet could potentially burn out its own sun to power a SETI program……….a three minute mini masterpiece where loose limbed funk evolves into a lush sweeping soundscape……Its pop music, but from another dimension. Inevitably too, there’s a song about the band. Papernut Cambridge have something of a tradition of self-referencing in songs, but while the theme song from their first album in 2013 attempted to picture the imaginary band that Button had once dreamed about, this one, 'We Are The Nut', updates things to now, and the current, real-life members. It’s Button’s way of saying that Papernut Cambridge have now become a real group and not just a quirky side project. Love The Things Your Lover Loves is a an total charmer of a record……………….although in less skilled hands it would be in danger of being a kitsch, 70s referencing guilty pleasure, this is an album of real substance. Taking on board classic Pop influences, Papernut Cambridge have lovingly crafted a record that still sounds contemporary proving that excellent song writing from whatever decade is timeless.

Released on the 13^th May on Gare Du Nord Records, Love The Things Your Lover Loves will be available in several different formats…………………In addition to a CD and a digital download there will be a limited run of 2 x 10” white vinyl records in plain white disco bags (one hole) with a postcard insert, all inside a printed 11" x 14" degradable white plastic carrier bag. Special instrumental versions of the album tracks a.k.a. "Other Things Your Lover Loves" will be available as a cassette only release. The entire package, double vinyl, CD, cassette instrumentals plus a badge set and temporary tattoo sheet with designs based on the album artwork all in a carrier bag will also be for sale. Available to pre-order now from either the Papernut Cambridge Bandcamp site at https://papernutcambridge.bandcamp.com/album/love-the-things-your-lover-loves or from the Papernut Cambridge page on the Gare Du Nord website.

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN