Joan As Police Woman - Joanthology '2019

Tracks list

 As Joan as Police Woman, Joan Wasser has established herself as a
distinctive -- and somewhat underappreciated -- artist, a situation the wittily
named retrospective Joanthology aims to remedy. Gathering songs from all of her
albums as well as previously unreleased tracks and a Live at the BBC session,
the set reaffirms just how consistent Wassers music is, even as shes explored
its different aspects over the years. Throughout all of her stylistic shifts,
shes proven herself as a songwriters songwriter. Wassers willingness to tackle
the big issues -- love, death, grief -- with profound yet intimate lyrics is
matched by her skill at surrounding them with an equally familiar yet unexpected
fusion of soul and post-punk. All of these elements are present on My Gurl, the
debut single that also begins Joanthology, and even more so on the songs from
Real Life. The collection features more than half of Wassers debut album, and
rightfully so -- it remains a brilliant introduction to her voice that also
reflects all the years of experience behind it. The tenderness and confidence on
display on songs such as The Ride, Eternal Flame, Christobel, and the Anohni
duet I Defy are still potent examples of her ability to be both philosophical
and poetic about the hard work that goes into relationships. Joanthology also
gives equal time to Joan as Police Womans talent at exploring happiness with the
same sophistication she addresses heartbreak, whether on the radiant sensuality
of To Survives Start of My Heart or the simmering intimacy of The Deep Fields
Forever and a Year. Similarly, the collection underscores how she combines her
influences in ways that always feel distinctly her own. Even on her most
seemingly retro album, The Classic, songs such as Holy City and Good Together
tap into the way that soul music grapples with the complexities of love in
active, direct ways instead of just leaning on nostalgia. Later, the avant-garde
collage pop of Damned Devotions Steed (For Jean Genet) and the Afro-synth-pop
experiments of Broke Me in Two from the Benjamin Lazar Davis collaboration Let
It Be You showcase the more overtly forward-looking side of her music.
Joanthologys previously unreleased and lesser-known material is nearly as vital
as her main body of work. The Damned Devotion-era Live at the BBC performance
includes some of the best songs that didnt appear earlier in the collection (To
Be Loved) and some of her most inspired interpretations of other artists songs.
Her versions of Public Enemys She Watch Channel Zero and Sonic Youths Sacred
Trickster testify to her range, as do her down-to-earth take on Princes Kiss and
her aching rendition of Talk Talks Myrrhman. Along with the quintessentially
sultry previously unreleased song What a World, these extras help make
Joanthology a comprehensive, and welcome, celebration of Joan as Police Womans
music. 
:: TRACKLIST ::

Disc 1
1. My Gurl (04:43)
2. The Ride (03:11)
3. Real Life (04:38)
4. Eternal Flame (03:42)
5. I Defy (03:34)
6. We Dont Own It (03:55)
7. Christobel (03:11)
8. Honor Wishes (04:36)
9. Hard White Wall (04:12)
10. Start of My Heart (04:34)
11. To America (05:42)
12. To Be Lonely (04:55)
13. The Magic (04:10)
14. Human Condition (05:32)
15. Run for Love (05:39)
16. Forever and a Year (05:56)

Disc 2
1. What a World (05:14)
2. Flash (07:53)
3. Whatever You Like (04:22)
4. Holy City (04:44)
5. Get Direct (06:44)
6. Good Together (07:01)
7. Your Song (03:55)
8. Myrrhman (07:09)
9. Broke Me In Two (02:55)
10. Valid Jagger (03:28)
11. Steed (for Jean Genet) (04:09)
12. Tell Me (03:38)
13. Silly Me (03:39)
14. Warning Bell (03:17)
15. Kiss (05:08)

Disc 3
1. To Be Loved (BBC Live) (03:02)
2. Start of My Heart (BBC Live) (03:45)
3. Human Condition (BBC Live) (05:23)
4. She Watch Channel Zero (BBC Live) (03:32)
5. Sacred Trickster (BBC Live) (02:29)
6. Holy City (BBC Live) (04:29)
7. The Classic (BBC Live) (03:35)
8. Magic Lamp (BBC Live) (03:38)
9. Let It Be You (BBC Live) (02:52)
10. The Silence (BBC Live) (05:02)
11. Damned Devotion (BBC Live) (03:31)
12. Steed (for Jean Genet) (BBC Live) (05:10)

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