In Invitation Air, The Ginger Envelope‘s follow-up to Edible Orchids, the band displays an impressive progression in songwriting and instrumental capabilities. Cohesive is its nature; this album goes very well alongside their earlier work. But from the opening track, “Turn Into Tempests”, it’s readily apparent that a change has occurred, one that finds The Ginger Envelope giant leaps ahead in their ability to wow the listener.

Invitation Air has an impeccable flow. Each song has a sort of symmetry that crecendos and wanes throughout the album, thus producing a synergy oft difficult to attain. Breaks exist, as heard between “Stray” and the soft beginnings of “Half Awake (Roddy)”, but these points act as intermissions. As “Half Awake” continues, the cohesion returns. Similarities can be said of the transition from “Moon Rover” to the catchy “Down That Well”.

There are countless integral parts to what make The Ginger Envelope noteworthy; without them, these songs would simply be commonplace. Perhaps the most prominent three are, in this order, the smokey vocals of Patrick Carey, the precision pedal steel played by Matt Stoessel, and the quality lead guitar by Jason Trahan. Of course, prominence exists in the typically brushed percussion of Colin Carey, and the generally subtle key workings of Paul McHugh. And one can also not ignore the selective string accompaniment in songs like “All Pinned Down”, be it banjo or fiddle or whatever. And we cannot forget the backing vocalists who pop up throughout the album, both male and female. You see, it’s a slippery slope…

Invitation Air continues the incorporation of folk-pop that inundated Edible Orchids, and The Ginger Envelope maintains subtleties common in Elephant 6 artists. The songs have light doses of psychedelia injected into them, but fully maintain their pop and folk sensibilities. The collective result finds The Ginger Envelope giving us an honest and refreshing album.

Invitation Air hits next week via One Percent Press.

The Ginger Envelope: Invitation Air [mp3]

The Ginger Envelope: All Pinned Down [mp3]

One Percent Press [CD, 2009]

1. Turn Into Tempests
2. Stray
3. Half Awake (Roddy)
4. Spokes
5. All Pinned Down
6. Moon River
7. Down That Well
8. From The Rays
9. Swimming Song
10. Invitation Air

One can draw several conclusions from the cover of Edible Orchids. First, it gives the distinct impression of The Ginger Envelope being a post-Elephant 6 band. The green tint, personally, takes me back to Everything Is Green, an early release by The Essex Green on Elephant 6 and the newly resurgent Kindercore. The name of the band and album is the second hint—the names roll off the tongue like those off the lovable indie pop label. So, one shouldn’t be too surprised that The Ginger Envelope hail from Athens, an indie pop hot spot, and possesses the sound of Elephant 6.

“Failsafe” is an early gem; the twangy guitar and lazy vocals make it a rainy day favorite. While the lyrics and vocal melodies give it an early Wilco-esque sound, Edible Orchids as a whole finds itself between indie pop and a southwestern twang. The vocals are lightly raspy and sound like the lighter work of Matt Pryor [Get Up Kids], primarily via his solo work in The New Amsterdams. This can be heard in “Dirty Penny” and on lighter tracks such as “Drift”.

“Kites” is another gem and finds Edible Orchids speeding things up with a bouncy melody before hitting one of the slower songs on the album, “Morning Let Me In”. “Silver” features banjo and a sweet melody that brings the pop sensibilities back home. “Night Sweeping” has a country-ish slide guitar and a hooky vocal melody in the verses closing Edible Orchids with an album topper. As the heavy rain falls outside, its easy to get lost in Edible Orchids—the album is perfect for such days. Now I just wish I was home with a warm blanket and a cup of hot mint tea.

This review was originally published December 4, 2007 on the old version of FensePost. Rumor has it, The Ginger Envelope is currently working on a new record.

The Ginger Envelope: Caretaker [mp3]

One Percent Press [CD, 2008]

1. Caretaker
2. Failsafe
3. Encapsulate
4. Lady Barber
5. Dirty Penny
6. Drift
7. Kites
8. Morning Let Me In
9. Silver
10. Night Sweeping