On their previous albums, The Greencards had individually recorded their musical tracks separately in isolation booths of recording studios. For "Viridian", the band members recorded their album together in real time in an open room, which was said to be a factor in creating a spontaneous feel for some of the album. Most of the songs on "Viridian" are sung by Young, and all of the tracks were written by The Greencards, with the exception of "Travel On", which was penned by Kim Richey of Nashville. Their sound, through "Viridian", was likened to the Canadian alternative country band The Duhks. After its release, "Viridian" claimed the No. 1 position on "Billboard" magazine's Bluegrass Music Chart. Doug Lancio, a producer who had previously worked with Patty Griffin, was said to have been a positive factor in the success of "Viridian". Prior to the 2007 album, Lancio had not worked with The Greencards. The Greencards are the first international musical act to reach No. 1 on the Bluegrass Music Chart.