Rating 4.0
DisappointmentI really liked her album "Short Sharp Shocked" and still do, but this one was a waste of money. I listened to it twice and probably will never again. Her religious and "preachy" fanatical overtones are annoying. There is not much more to say.A Little Sophomoric, But Very Solid StuffTruthfully, this isn't really my type of music, but all things considered, it's really good. The only reason I heard this CD is because I had a chance to meet Michelle Shocked and she personally handed me this CD, which she told me she packaged and shrink-wrapped by herself. I've since seen her perform at one of the local clubs in Los Angeles, and I remember seeing her on the Dr. Phil show protesting the military action against Iraq.I have the benefit of knowing this artist and what she stands for and believes in, so that's why I can appreciate her music. I know the deeper, spiritual, social, and political meaning behind the lyrics in her songs. However, if you're someone who just happens upon the CD at Blockbuster Music and listens to it simply for its musical value, you might not like it. In my personal opinion, this is a good CD to play in your car on an extended trip so you can listen to the whole thing all at once. There's really no one track on this album that stands out above the others. I also have the companion CD called Dub Natural, which are the same songs as Deep Natural, except without the lyrics. I think both of these CDs come together in one package. That also is a nice CD to listen to, because you really get a feel for Michelle's ability as a musician. Shocked gets religionI have a very short personal list of musicians whose CDs I always buy. She was ABOUT to fall off that list until she came out with Deep/Dub Natural. In my opinion, about Shocked's only flaw is a tendency to preach and as she matured, she made that mistake a few times. Not in this album! Like her early music, the lyrics are poignant yet nuanced. But, she has broken out of the folk mode without giving it up completely. Clearly she has had some encounter with God and she uses that as lyrical focus. But don't think this is some boring Christian album. She NEVER falls into cliche even when she re-interprets a song like Amazing Grace. That song, for instance, breaks your heart and renews at the same time. Great stuff. And don't neglect Dub Natural. I like it maybe even better than Deep Natural. I know that Shocked wasn't the first to do a re-mix second disk, but not many have done it better. It really works -- "Dub" has the feel of "Deep" but is not a needless duplication. I play Dub Natural more than "Deep". I also hope this CD will open up her audience beyond the folk singer-songwriter crowd. She deserves it. Unfortunately, I doubt this release will get a lot of promotion. Good reason to buy it, though - play if for friends and they will think you have the good taste to not follow the masses. |
