Redwood (album)
| Redwood | ||||
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| Studio album by Lúnasa | ||||
| Released | 3 June 2003 | |||
| Recorded | February 2002 | |||
| Studio | Prairie Sun Recording Studios, Cotati, California | |||
| Genre | Celtic | |||
| Length | 43:17 | |||
| Label | Green Linnet | |||
| Producer | Lúnasa | |||
| Lúnasa chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |
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Redwood is an album by Lúnasa that was released in 2003 on Green Linnet Records. It was their fourth major release, and their last album on Green Linnet Records. The band conceived the album in October 2001 whilst staying in a Californian lodge; the band aimed to record an album that would capture the band's live feel whilst at the same time retaining the sonic quality that the band feature on their albums. The band took a ten-day break from their February 2002 American tour to record the album at Prairie Sun Recording Studios in California. It is characterised by a more relaxed sound than previous albums, and less guest musicians.
Releasing the problem became an issue when the band entered a heated dispute with Green Linnet, a feud which almost prevented the album from being released. Ultimately the band left the label and three versions of Redwood were released, with alternating artwork and music masters. The official version was self-released by the band on their website and from concerts. Redwood was released to positive reviews from music critics, praising the band's vibrancy. The Irish Echo named it the 6th best album of 2003. Nonetheless the band were unsatisfied with the mastering and mixing on the record, and remixed and remastered several of its songs in later years.
Between 1998 and 2001, Lúnasa released their first three albums, all of them highly acclaimed, eclectic mixes of traditional and modern Celtic music, the most latterly of which, The Merry Sisters of Fate (2001), was awarded "British/Celtic Album of the Year" by the U.S. Association for Independent Music.Mojo magazine hailed the band "the new gods of Irish music" following that album's release. These albums were marked by numerous guest appearances and unusual approaches to both recording and instrumentation. For their next album, the band wanted to deliberately forgo their studio approach.
In October 2001, the band conceived their fourth album, Redwood, when they were taking a break near Occidental, California, in a ranch belonging to Matt Greenhill. The band said that with this album, they intended to "capture the live impact of Lúnasa, without losing the sonic quality that we always endeavour to achieve on our albums." The band visited several studios in the local area to see if where they wanted to record Redwood, and ultimately chose the famous Prairie Sun Recording Studios in Cotati, California. The musicians became "thoroughly familiar with the material" on the album by playing them live beforehand, and also familiarised themselves with "what everyone else is going to play." As a result of the tracks "being broken in by being played in concert," Chris Nickson of Allmusic said that the album's "sets sparkle."
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