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The Ginger Envelope, Edible Orchids CD Release Party, 40 Watt, 11/15/07

by Kathryn Durfee
11/16/2007

Admittedly, we Athenians are a little bit spoiled when it comes to music. Not only is our town a big venue for traveling bands, we have a good many bands right here at home. With the market so saturated, it is important to take note of truly talented bands when they come along. Ginger Envelope is certainly one of these extraordinary bands. The group celebrated the release of their first full-length album, Edible Orchids with two full sets and a release party at the 40 Watt on Thursday, November 15th.

Ginger Envelope consists of five members, all long-time friends: Patrick Carey, Matt Stoessel, Jason Robira (percussion), Steven Miller (bass), and Jason Trahan (guitar). Additional instrumentals and vocals are provided by Aaron Jollay, Karolyn Troupe, and Neil Golden.

I'm a little more spoiled than most in that I have gotten to know Ginger Envelope's lead singer Patrick Carey while working with him at a local restaurant. I've had the pleasure of spending many a slow evening sitting on the patio and talking with him about nothing and everything. Over the past few months, I've found Carey to be honest, soft-spoken, smart, and humble.

Journalistic integrity be damned, I attended the concert in support of my friend. I had not heard a single note of any Ginger Envelope track, but I'm sincerely glad that I entered the 40 Watt a blank canvas. From the opening verse of the first song, I could not help but let the music wash over me. I was not at all surprised to find that Carey was able to maintain the qualities he exhibits in "real life" while on stage. He is confident, but not overbearing. The only change I noticed is that he seems to be completely at home and at peace with guitar in hand. Clearly, Carey is one of the lucky few whose passion is also their true talent.

Carey writes all of Ginger Envelope's songs; as a result, each track possesses the same lackadaisical but sincere tone. His lyrics are heartfelt; simple yet meaningful. Rather than trying to trick you or keep you guessing, Carey's songs welcome you in and envelope you like a warm chair by the fire on a cold night. In "Failsafe," he muses "Every year I remember the same things, and every year I grow a little less dumb." In "Night Sweeping," the last track on the album, he says what we all want to say in order to assure a loved one: "I ain't gonna hide any petty pretense, I ain't gonna sneak out the white back fence."

Carey is undoubtedly the heart and soul of the band. His voice is unique yet oddly familiar. After running through my music library in my head but failing to find a match, I settled on placing him somewhere between a young Bob Dylan and the quiet Sufjan Stevens. Similar to a Sufjan Stevens concert, the number of people on stage varied greatly throughout the show. Instruments varied as well, ranging from steel guitar to viola to horns in addition to the standard drums, guitar and bass. However, Carey's steady and delicate voice remained constant throughout both sets. The strong instrumentals never overwhelmed his voice, which feels like a well-worn jacket: comfortable, familiar, and impossible to cast aside.

Opening with "Care Take Her," an upbeat track short on time but long on meaning, Ginger Envelope played the new album straight through. Each track is beautiful in its own right, the instrumentals evoking images of lazy days and country drives. Edible Orchids has a good balance of fast and slow tracks, bouncing from a more upbeat "Failsafe" and "Encapsulate" to a subdued "Lady Barber" and "Dirty Penny." The second half of the album picks back up with "Kites," a fast-paced jam. "Morning Let Me In" is haunting track featuring Carey's echoing voice accompanied only by his guitar and Troupe's violin.

After what seemed to be only a matter of minutes, the first set was over and the band took a short break before the second set. Since the first album has been so long in the making, Ginger Envelope already has a wealth of new material. The second set was as beautiful and enrapturing as the first, but far moodier, featuring lyrics such as "I would take you to the gorge if I thought I could bring company." Unfortunately, the blast of cold weather may have been responsible for the thinned out audience. I think the smaller audience benefited the show by creating a more intimate atmosphere in which to enjoy the music.

The band hopes to release their next album early next year. In the meantime, wistful melodies paired with Carey's soothing voice make Edible Orchids the perfect winter soundtrack.

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