real life

the name of the debut album by joan as police woman
an american 3 piece group featuring joan wasser on vocal, guitars, strings, etc, etc
she also writes all the songs so she seems to be the star of the show
seems she has worked in the past with the likes of lou reed, sheryl crow, elton john amongst others
i heard a track of hers on a compilation cd which i quite liked
so when i saw the debut album titled real life in a shop i decided to go further
real life
lovely piano introduction and backing with some strings
our lady singing a sad but quite lovely tune that grows in confidence
and it's true what they say about love
yes it's true what they say about life
and i'm taking it for all it's worth
eternal flame
the band comes in on this original tune - as opposed to that other song of the same title
instrumentation is quite simple and back there in the mix
so that the quite impressive and agile voice is out front
and some extra interesting overdub and backing vocals
one of the singles from the album
feed the light
keep it simple - piano intro , minimal instrumentation
voice dominating again on this quite slow tune
there's a guest vocalist named joseph arthur who adds deep bass harmonies
not so sure about this one - it seems to get lost along the way
kind of think the attitude is just let the music look after itself - or something
the ride
ah - the song i am most familiar with from the compilation cd
now that i am aware of the sheryl crow connection the influence is there
it's the kind of song that could easily be made famous by someone famous
again very simple and straightforward instrumentation
but a lovely melody and a chorus with a real hook - and a wurlitzer
i defy
we're now getting a bit more serious musically with brass added to the mix
but the big surprise is that this tune is song as a duet with a very distinctive voice
no less than antony from him and the johnsons
their voices work very nicely together making this a memorable tune
seems she has worked with him in the past so maybe favour returned
flushed chest
another gentle piano introduction making way for some more light instrument playing
very much in vein with feed the light earlier in the album
so not much of a melody or specific tune underneath
just more opportunity for the voice to be the focal point
as before - not a standout but also not a complete waste of time - is ok
christobel
unlike this one which i reckon is the standout track on the album
guitar and melody that sounds straight from a forest by the cure
christobel why won't you just fall in love with me
the middle has some quite distorted violins from the lady herself
sits nicely in this up tempo and head-nodding tune
save me
i don't want to live for tomorrow - save me
repeat, repeat, repeat - not a happy lady it seems
another one that doesn't exactly leap out of the speakers
especially with the bridge part which is just a little too average
has a good organic feel to it and an outro featuring a solo violin
anyone
it's not lo-fi but it is lo-arrangement or whatever term should be used here
same as others - musicians do their parts to a suitable level
so that joan can put her voice on top and make the song depend on that
another vocal workout really that again impresses with the range and control
quite a nice chorus bit saves this tune from average-land
we don't own it
this song dedicated to elliot smith (rip) according to the liner notes
very restrained guitar playing and the slightest of snare drum beat
she's at it again with the voice dominating and impressing
while listening it's a case of waiting for something to happen
but it doesn't - it just kind of just winds up and stops

imho we're going to be hearing a lot more of joan wasser or joan as police woman
this album is pointing to a more solidly produced album next time around
with this one she has got something she can be quite proud of as numero uno
but i think it will fade into obscurity with whatever comes next