Here is the mystery of Seattle's Cav e Singers: They never listened to much folk music, they never intended to play folk music and more importantly, their guitarist never picked up the instrument until recently. Yet, this strange trio is writing and performing some of the mosthypnotising folk music we have today. 'Invitation Songs' sounds like an updated version of the Anthology of American Folk Music. This is folk music approached by way of punk rock. It's sparse, melodic, creepy and alluring. There are dense atmospherics, shuffling stomps, harmonicas, washboards, chaingang musings, yelps and even the odd wavering synth.