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f or Invitation Air, The Ginger Envelope's
upcoming sophomore album, bandleader
Patrick Carey didn't want to just go back
to basics—he wanted to get even more raw
than that. The local band's 2007 debut album
Edible Orchids was no flawlessly polished gem
itself, a lovingly rough-hewn disc of Carey's
tender tunes given just enough production
value to seem professionally put together.
But the stripped-down aesthetic of the
album set for release at the end of the month
was something Carey & Co. aimed for when
they recorded some new songs more than two
years ago. "The idea was to go into the base
ment," says Carey, sharing a bottle of wine
recently at his sizable backyard shed/ future
recording space. On the rainy, atypically brisk
May afternoon, he says, "We wanted to keep
it super raw and rush it out unpolished." The
rushing didn't quite happen: "Upon hearing it,
you're not going to release crap," says Carey,
"not that it was crap, just it needed a little
more work."
Those 2007 basement sessions from pal
Patrick Bozeman's house were augmented by
some studio work last year, but shortly there
after disaster found its way into The Ginger
Envelope's plans when an entire batch of
finished studio recordings laid down at local
engineer Andy Baker's studio was lost. Carey
was bummed, and even considered scrapping
the entire endeavor, but soldiered on after
some encouragement from bandmates Stephen
Miller (bass) and Jason Trahan (guitar).
After reworking the already-recorded songs
to what ultimately sounded even better,
according to Carey, the collection of tunes was
ready for release. "We took our easy time with
[recording]," says Carey, "but for the last few
months I've felt on fire about getting it out."
Listeners could be forgiven for thinking
that Invitation Air was The Ginger Envelope's
first album, and Edible Orchids its follow-up.
Carey's airy, direct folk- and country-influ
enced numbers are simpler and sparser, and
his lyrics stick to the first and second person.
Though they're not necessarily personal, it'd
be an easy assumption to make considering in
the past year Carey's gotten married, taken a
teen-aged daughter under his wing and made
a strong go of curtailing his "more debaucher-
ous tendencies." The hazy twang of a Ginger
Envelope song isn't necessarily a downer, but
there's a gravity implicit in the tunes' steady,
methodical unfolding that's been a constant
through the band's six-plus years.
And even as this second album is ready to
launch, a new batch of songs waits ready for
recording once the band returns from a late-
summer tour with Madeline Adams. "There's
a subtle difference," to Carey's new mate
rial, says Trahan, "and a little maturity to it.
I was listening to a live recording from the
Caledonia, November of '04, and I was really
impressed at how now the songs have a more
fully fledged depth, more substance. They take
more chances musically and lyrically."
Though the songs are Carey's, the full band
takes on arrangement duties, generally worked
out onstage and in piactice, before studio
time. "We all arrange together," says Trahan,
"but build upon the blueprint that Patrick has.
We're trying to do something distinctive and
appropriate."
Carey says that the group dynamic on the
album is one of its high points for him, but it's
also bittersweet, as Invitation Air is the final
document of the previous incarnation of The
Ginger Envelope. Bassist Miller is involved in
numerous personal and musical projects, and
starting at this week's show will be replaced
"more or less" permanently by Jacob Morris.
The months since the recordings wrapped
also saw founding member Jason Robira leave
the band to focus on his touring in Dark Meat.
It was an emotional but amicable splitting
for Carey, he says, and it makes sense that
only someone as close could fill the drum
seat. Accordingly, brother Collin Carey now
mans the kit. Mother Jackson's Paul McHugh
has joined on keys, Matt Stoessel (the band's
third original member) remains on pedal steel
and the ubiquitous John Fernandes occasion
ally pops up for violin duty, filling for local
folk pro David Blackmon, who recorded fiddle
tracks for Invitation Air. Page Campbell (Hope
for Agoldensummer, Creepy) also contributed
backing vocals on a number of songs.
This week's show at the 40 Watt was origi
nally intended to be a release show for the
new album, but Carey says that the production
of Invitation Air was held up unexpectedly,
and rather than rushing the job and risking
a sub-par product, the local release of the
album has been delayed by a few weeks. So,
consider Thursday's show the live debut of The
Ginger Envelope's new lineup, and a preview
of things to (soon) come. Carey promises
they'll have copies oflnvitation Air in time
for this summer's AthFest at the end of June,
and the band'll "officially" celebrate the new
disc during its afternoon outdoor stage set on
Saturday, June 27.
Chris Hassiotis
( “ “ — ‘ ' ^
WHO: The Ginger Envelope, Druid City,
Don Chambers
S'>- WHERE: 40 Watt Club
WHEN: Thursday, Jane 4
HOW MUCH: $5 (21+). $7 (18+)
J
16 FLAGPOLE.COM • JUNE 3,2009