Joan As Police Woman "The Classic" (2014)

The Classic
release date Mar. 10, 2014
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Tyler Wood & Joan Wasser
label: Play It Again Sam - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Witness" - 2. "Holy City" (4 / 5) - 3. "The Classic" (4 / 5) - 4. "Good Together" (live in Paris) - 5. "Get Direct" - 7. "New Year's Day" - 10. "Ask Me"

4th studio album by Joan As Police Woman follows The Deep Field (Jan. 2011) and is released on Play It Again Sam and produced by Wasser and Tyler Wood, who also contributed as keyboardist on the 2011 album.
Initially, I found it a bit of a difficult task to rate this album. On one hand it's very much in family with the music by St. Vincent in the sense that it's both art pop and singer / songwriter-oriented (without the noise pop influence), but it's also Joan's perhaps boldest chamber pop and soul-oriented album so far, although, not just soul and not really folk-based singer / songwriter. I think, what I'm hinting at is that it has so many stylistic references (even neo-psychedelia and doo-wop elements) that it's really a huge melting pot of styles and genres, which ain't necessarily bad, but it does make the album a bit uneven, yet, also interesting. Especially the bolder soul-shaped tracks are great but then again: I also really enjoy "Good Together", which is more art pop cloned neo-soul. Bottom line: it's really good, refreshing, and quite original, and it's probably quite popular as National Public Radio music.
My initial verdict didn't have me thinking of more than 3 stars but having returned to the album in recent months, I now feel more accustomed to the new style, and I think it clearly betters the predecessor, which I still consider a bit of a low point, and The Classic comes close to the qualities of Wasser's acclaimed debut. For me, this is one of this year's more fascinating releases.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Joan As Police Woman "Real Life" (2006)

Real Life [debut]

release date: Jun. 12, 2006

format: digital (2007 Deluxe Edition) (16 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,70]

producer: Bryce Goggin, Joan Wasser

label: Reveal Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Real Life" - 2. "Eternal Flame" (4 / 5) - 3. "Feed the Light" - 5. "I Defy" (4 / 5) - 7. "Christobel" - 8. "Save Me" - *12. "Broken Eyes"

* Bonus track on 2007 Deluxe Edition

Studio album debut by Joan As Police Woman (aka Joan Wasser) following the 2005 EP debut (Joan As Police Woman. Joan Wasser previously played violin in Boston-founded The Dambuilders, later in Those Bastard Souls she also sang, and while playing in that band her boyfriend Jeff Buckley tragically drowned in 1997 - the album Debt & Departure (1999) was made processing the untimely death of Buckley. In '99 she joined and played viola in the supporting band for Antony and the Johnsons and she also contributed on I Am a Bird Now (Feb. 2005) but she initiated her solo career under the name of Joan As Police Woman in 2002 - perhaps inspired by Antony Hegarty and their role in Antony and the Johnsons as a band act alias in place of a solo career. Hegarty contributes on Wasser's "I Defy", which is co-written by Hegarty. All other tracks are credited Wasser alone.

Real Life appears as anything but a debut, as it feels and sounds extremely solid and confident despite its unique blend of styles and a play with fragility at the very core. It's jazz rock inspired indie pop with traits of singer / songwriter folk and Wasser sings and croons with her secure vocal as she never did anything else. At times she sounds like a kindred spirit to the Wainwright siblings.

The album came somewhat out of the blue but in retrospect it stands as a highly acclaimed debut. The standard album is a ten-track album with a running time clocking in at 38 minutes, and the 2007 Deluxe Edition adds another six tracks making it a 53 minutes release.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Pitchfork 8,1 / 10, The Guardian, MusicOMH 4 / 5, Spin 3,5 / 5 stars ]