Joan As Police Woman.... - Peoples Republic Of Cork Discussion Forums

Jim Comic · #1 10-06-2006, 01:13 PM

playing cyprus avenue sometime soon

(from today's guardian)
If you can know a musician by the company they keep, we can maybe already make some fair assumptions about Joan Wasser. An in-demand violin/viola player, she has worked with Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright and Antony & The Johnsons - all of whose names lead irresistibly to the conclusion that her band, Joan As Police Woman, will be dealing in some arguably fairly dark piano business. Certainly, that's a suspicion borne out by her full-length debut Real Life. A sedately-paced collection of beautifully-sung torch songs, the material here nonetheless unfolds in an eccentric way that's far more Joanna Newsom than Katie Melua, and is completely unafraid to throw some pretty odd arrangements into the works. As with Antony, this feels like a quality band that'll be playing in theatres pretty soon. Might be a good idea to get in early.

Jim Comic · #2 11-06-2006, 11:09 AM

Pop: New Kids in Town: Joan as Police Woman
DAN CAIRNS

Who are they? The New York-based Joan Wasser, Ben Perowsky and Rainy Orteca have, between them, played with just about every NY alt act that matters (Lou Reed, Antony & the Johnsons, Rufus Wainwright). The viola-playing Wasser inspired Jeff Buckley’s haunting late song Everybody Here Wants You. Her wonderful singing voice, equal parts Dusty, Nina Simone, Annette Peacock and Feist, wraps itself round a set of frayed punk-folk, ragged soul and skewed show tunes, all introspection, self-discovery and liberation, on a superb debut album, Real Life. No fan of Antony (who guests) will dislike it; nor will those who find his histrionics a tad overegged. Real Life is the bridge between, and is, quite simply, one of the strongest and most distinctive records released in ages. Buy it now.

When’s the record out? Tomorrow on Reveal.

www.joanaspolicewoman.com