The fact that Give The People What They Want (Daptone Records) is even being released is a pretty great thing. The album was slated to come out last year, but Sharon Jones’ cancer diagnosis put the release on hold until she was on the mend. Well, all systems are go and Jones and her Dap-Kings have emerged back into the world with their fifth full-length platter.

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings has spearheaded their own revivalist movement, focusing on bringing back the analog funk and soul of the mid-60s to mid-70s. But while the band does draw inspiration and production techniques from that period, they aren’t concerned about being a carbon copy. Instead, they have managed to carve out their own distinct sound. Sure, you hear the influence, but it seems simply part of the Dap-Kings’ upbringing. The X-factor can be attributed to Jones. An explosively soulful presence, Jones can pack more power, sass, and supersaturated soul into three minutes than Beyonce can into two hours.

But “explosive” isn’t the way I’d describe Give The People What They Want. With the exception of “People Don’t Get What They Deserve,” the band largely steps off the gas and goes for a gentler cruise. That’s not to say that it’s a record full of slow jams. The different approach makes the conversational moments more intimate, the narratives that much stronger. The funk may be taking a mini-vacation, but the soul is still in full display. The biggest difference (and this may be simply due to the nature of the songs) is that the Dap-Kings are relatively sparse. This isn’t a Steve Reich composition, but the band seems more content to lay deep in the groove and let Jones do the heavy lifting. There’s still a lot of quality instrumental work, but it never calls attention to itself. While music critic types often abuse the concept of a “headphone record”, Give The People What They Want is a record that’s made for stereophonic listening. The album is mixed so that different parts of the instruments play in different sides of the speakers. So if you only have one speaker or a shorted earbud, you’re going to miss 50% of the record.

As for Jones, this record just further shores up her national treasure status. Even when she’s not working up a sweat, she demands attention with a combination of believability and the fact that every song gets the perfect approach—neither oversung nor overthought, just the right performance at every single moment. Which is exactly why she and the Dap-Kings make such a potent combination. Give The People What They Want lives up to its promise 100%.