Personnel: Natalie Merchant (vocals, piano, background vocals); Billy Bragg (vocals, acoustic guitar); Katell Keineg, Mavis Staples, Michael Stipe, N'Dea Davenport, Susan McKeown, Metropolitan New Testament Missionary Baptist Church Choir, Albany, NY, Schiavone McGee (vocals); Rebecca Gonzales, James Gonzales (spoken vocals); Matt Henderson (guitars, electric bass); Jennifer Turner (guitars, background vocals); G.E. Smith, Peter Buck , Steve Cropper, Val McCallum (guitars); Greg Leisz (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, banjo, mandolin); Jon Spurney (acoustic guitar, piano); Gabriel Gordon (acoustic guitar, electric bass); Lokua Kanza, Molly Mason (acoustic guitar); Craig Ross, John Holbrook, Erik Della Penna, Donnie Ward (electric guitar); Tony Trischka, Richie Stearns (banjo); Jay Ungar (mandolin, fiddle, harmonica); Hector Falcon, Krystof Witek (violin); Judy Hyman (fiddle); Ralph Farris, Conroy Kuo (viola); Garo Yellin, Michelle Kinney, Julia Palmer (cello); Paddy Moloney (pennywhistle); Mairtin O'Connor, Van Dyke Parks (accordion); Lenny Pickett, Andrew Love, Bill Harris (saxophone); David Ralicke (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Chris Botti, Wayne Jackson (trumpet); Elizabeth Steen (piano, organ, Hammond b-3 organ); David Sancious, Dr. John, Joel O'Brien (piano); George Laks (Wurlitzer piano, Hammond b-3 organ); Jason Yates, Booker T. Jones, Keefus (Hammond b-3 organ); Patrick Warren (pump organ, chamberlin); Karl Berger (vibraphone); Lindsey Horner, Mike Elizando, Pete Toigo (acoustic bass); Gary Smith (electric bass, percussion); Donald "Duck" Dunn, Graham Maby, Mike Mills, Walter Booker, Wiggy, Bob Glaub, Barry Maguire, Firma Ephron (electric bass); Matt Chamberlain (drums, percussion); David Narcizo, Jim Keltner, Allison Miller, Terry Silverlight, Bill Berry , Peter Yanowitz, Joe Trump (drums); Joakim Lartey, Adrian Lopez Guevarra, Cyro Battiste (percussion).

Compiled by Natalie Merchant herself, RETROSPECTIVE: 1995-2005 presents 13 cherry-picked tracks from her solo studio albums of that era. While the disc's first four songs (including the hypnotic "Carnival" and the resonant "San Andreas Fault") feature the vocalist fresh off of her long stint with college-rock mainstays 10,000 Maniacs, later tunes find her exploring gospel (the soulful "Build a Levee" with revered singer Mavis Staples) and traditional folk (the spare "Owensboro"). Merchant, of course, is the thread throughout this anthology, with both her nuanced production work and her distinctive, emotive voice bringing out the heart of each song. Though this is an ideal primer for those unfamiliar with Merchant's solo work, diehard fans will want to get the similarly titled RETROSPECTIVE: 1990-2005, which includes a full disc of rarities and collaborations.