Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Naturally (20th Anniversary Edition)
Daptone Records [2025]
Released: January 25, 2005/Reissue: May 2, 2025
Producer: Bosco Mann (Gabe Roth)
Length: 40 minutes
“This reissue isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a reminder of where it all started, and how far that groove has traveled.”
Sharon Jones spent decades trying to break into the music industry before finding her rhythm in New York’s soul revival scene. The Dap-Kings formed around her—players from various funk outfits who built their own studio in Bushwick and launched a label, Daptone, to back it all. While neo-soul was thriving in the mainstream in the early 2000s, this crew planted a different flag—one rooted in vintage gear, analog tape, and a deeper soul lineage. Naturally marked their breakthrough, arriving after years of gigging in tiny rooms and making records on shoestring budgets. What followed was a steady rise, with Jones becoming a modern soul icon.
Naturally didn’t chase trends—it focused on the groove. At a time when few outside the crate-digging crowd were looking backward to the grit and warmth of ’60s R&B, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings doubled down on craft and authenticity. This album pulled them beyond the underground, creating a ripple effect that spread through pop, soul, and indie music. It was also a landmark moment for Daptone: the first LP tracked at their House of Soul studio and the blueprint for the label’s signature sound. The songs are tight, punchy, and full of fire. The 2025 reissue adds a second LP of newly mastered instrumentals that spotlight the band’s precision—letting the arrangements breathe and speak for themselves.
SINGLES: “How Do I Let a Good Man Down?” kicks off the album with fierce intent—a bold, brassy opener that instantly sets the tone. “How Long Do I Have to Wait for You” leads the charge with its undeniable rhythm and classic horn punch. “This Land Is Your Land” turns a familiar anthem into something far more urgent, tapping into Woody Guthrie’s original spirit. Both tracks gained major traction—“How Long” became a surprise streaming favorite, while “This Land” landed in the George Clooney film Up In The Air (2009). More than just hits, these songs brought Sharon Jones to stages she’d long been shut out of.
DEEP CUTS: “Fish in My Dish” is pure joy—playful, raw, and impossible not to smile through. Sharon’s delivery is electric, capturing a lighter side not often heard in deep soul. “Stranded,” a duet with Lee Fields, shows off real chemistry between two kindred voices. And the closer, “All Over Again,” slows things down with a meditative touch that gives the record a soulful, lasting finish.
ARTISTS WITH SIMILAR FIRE: If you’re into Lee Fields, Charles Bradley, or The Sugarman 3, you’ll feel right at home here. You can also hear this record’s fingerprints all over Mark Ronson’s productions and Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black—both powered by The Dap-Kings. More recently, groups like Durand Jones & The Indications and Thee Sacred Souls are keeping the spirit alive, along with other rising stars from the Daptone and Colemine Records rosters.
INTERESTING FACT: During recording, producer Gabe Roth was in a freak car accident that temporarily impaired his vision. The band rallied around him—visiting him in the hospital, cracking jokes, and keeping spirits high. The album pressed on, and that accident became part of the story. Those sunglasses Roth wears all the time? Not just a look—they’re a result of that moment.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: Sharon Jones sadly passed away in 2016, but her legacy is undeniable. The Dap-Kings are still at it—performing, recording, and backing new voices. Horn players like Dave Guy and Ian Hendrickson-Smith now play with The Roots on The Tonight Show. Guitarist Tommy Brenneck was a driving force behind Menahan Street Band and Charles Bradley’s recordings. Daptone, meanwhile, has grown into a cornerstone of analog soul—carrying the torch with every new release.
SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS REVIEW HISTORY
Soul Of A Woman (2017) / Give The People What They Want (2014) / I Learned The Hard Way (2010) / 100 Days, 100 Nights (2007)
SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS LINKS
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Bandcamp | Daptone Records
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