This came out in 2002 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Folk, country, blues, rock, hell, even swing — over the years, Michelle Shocked has done them all. And sounded more or less like a natural at them all.
With this long-awaited double album, however, she manages to find a few more new musical trails to explore. The earthy and organic Deep Natural finds the eclectic singer-songwriter dipping her toes into soul, R&B, gospel and reggae. Featuring a handful of tunes previously available only on her 1998 limited-edition disc Good News, this joyous 15-song effort features a laid-back, relaxed Shocked, leisurely making her way through this varied set, backed by a loosely funky band. This is the album Bonnie Raitt has been trying to make for years — or at least should have been. For even more shocking Shocked, check out the companion disc Dub Natural, which recasts many of these songs in the subterranean, murky tones and textures of dub reggae. Even so, the natural beauty of Shocked’s style and sound shine through.
