Real Life (Joan as Police Woman album)

Real Life
Studio album by Joan as Police Woman
Released	June 12, 2006 (UK); June 12, 2007 (US)
Genre	Jazz, pop rock
Length	38:14 Bonus disc: 15:25
Label	Reveal Records (United Kingdom)
Producer	Joan Wasser
Joan as Police Woman chronology
Real Life (2006) To Survive (2008)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	B+ [2]
The Guardian	[3]
musicOMH	[4]
Pitchfork Media	8.1/10 [5]
Rolling Stone	[6]
Spin	7/10 [7]
Stylus Magazine	B+ [8]
Tiny Mix Tapes	[9]

Real Life is the debut studio album by Joan As Police Woman (Joan Wasser), released by Reveal Records in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2006, and a year later in the United States.

In addition to the standard jewel-case release, it was released in a limited-edition digipak ^[10] with Wasser art card and as a 2-disc expanded edition. ^[11]

"I Defy" was co-written by the Antony and the Johnsons' singer Antony Hegarty, who also contributed vocals to the track. In September 2006, she performed a live-session at the BBC. ^[12]

The album has received much critical acclaim, being variously described as "splendidly slinky", ^[5] "a magical journey", ^[13] and "a fine showcase". ^[8] In her review in The Guardian , Caroline Sullivan described the album as "pensive and gentle; sometimes stately of tempo, sometimes slightly breathless, but always erring on the side of lovely understatement." ^[3]

In early 2008, Real Life won in the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Pop/Rock Album. ^[14]

It was awarded a silver certification from the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 30,000 copies throughout Europe. ^[15]

Track listing

All compositions by Joan Wasser except as indicated.

1. "Real Life" – 4:38
2. "Eternal Flame" – 3:39
3. "Feed the Light" – 3:41
4. "The Ride" – 3:09
5. "I Defy" (Anohni Hegarty, Wasser) – 3:32
6. "Flushed Chest" – 3:55
7. "Christobel" – 3:06
8. "Save Me" – 3:44
9. "Anyone" – 4:50
10. "We Don't Own It" – 3:55

The 2-CD edition had the additional tracks:

1. "Show Me the Life" – 2:32
2. "Broken Eyes" – 2:48
3. "Sweet Thing" (David Bowie) – 3:13
4. "Happiness Is a Violator (For Condoleezza Rice)" – 1:53
5. "Endless Supply of Poison" – 0:52
6. "We Don't Own It" – 4:04

Musicians

Joan As Police Woman:

• Joan Wasser – vocals, piano, guitar, violin, viola, bass guitar, strings, wurlitzer, keyboards
• Rainy Orteca – bass guitar, vocals
• Ben Perowsky – drums, percussion, vocals, tambourine

with:

• Jeff Hill – cello, bass guitar
• Joseph Arthur – vocals, keyboards, piano, drums
• Antony Hegarty – vocals
• Doug Wieselman – bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, clarinet
• Steven Bernstein – trumpet
• Briggan Krauss – baritone saxophone
• Charles Burnham – vocals

References

1. Phares, Heather. "Real Life Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
2. Greenblatt, Leah (June 8, 2007). "Real Life". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved January 22, 2016.
3. "Joan As Police Woman, Real Life" Archived 2008-05-28 at the Wayback Machine , The Guardian, by Caroline Sullivan, 21 Dec 2006
4. Hubbard, Michael (June 12, 2006). "Joan As Police Woman – Real Life" Archived 2013-02-02 at the Wayback Machine . musicOMH. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
5. "Joan as Police Woman: Real Life". Pitchfork. August 27, 2007. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
6. "Joan As Police Woman". Rolling Stone . Retrieved January 22, 2016.
7. Hunter, James (July 23, 2007). "Joan As Police Woman, 'Real Life'". Spin . Retrieved January 22, 2016.
8. Forrester, Iain (September 13, 2006). "Joan as Police Woman - Real Life - Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
9. Berman, Judy. "Joan as Police Woman – Real Life / B-Sides" Archived 2016-01-28 at the Wayback Machine . Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
10. Real Life, Reveal, June 12, 2006, archived from the original on August 25, 2024, retrieved December 4, 2016
11. Real Life, Reveal Records, July 23, 2007, archived from the original on August 25, 2024, retrieved December 4, 2016
12. "Joan as Police Woman – Archive session (2006), 20/10/2011, Gideon Coe - BBC Radio 6 Music". BBC. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
13. "Joan As Police Woman – Real Life – Your London Reviews". IndieLondon. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
14. Independent Music Awards – 7th Annual Winners Archived 2009-03-06 at the Wayback Machine
15. "IMPALA announces new award winners for independents music companies". IMPALA Music. June 15, 2007. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017.