Red House 25: A Silver Anniversary Retrospective collects 64 tracks culled from the stalwart
contemporary folk/American roots label's quarter of a century tenure as one of the great houses of modern American song. From 1983 to 2008,
Red House provided shelter for the likes of
Greg Brown,
Chenille Sisters,
John Gorka,
Pat Donohue,
Utah Phillips,
Cliff Eberhardt,
Lucy Kaplansky,
Eliza Gilkyson, and
Robin & Linda Williams, all of whom appear here with songs both familiar and previously unreleased. Accompanying the silver-embossed box is a 44-page booklet that chronicles the label's history through rare photos, commentary, and testimonials from artists like
Mary Chapin Carpenter,
Dar Williams, and
Josh Ritter who drew inspiration from
Red House's pioneering spirit and vast arsenal of releases. ~ James Christopher Monger