Vinyl of the Week - 5 June, 2022
The Solution Is Restless, Joan As Police Woman, Tony Allen, Dave Okumu
DISPLAYABLE vinyl of the week. It’s been a little while, hasn’t it? Since there haven’t been any new pandemics or natural disasters in several weeks now, I thought it might be good to get back to some form of normality and pick up where we left off. In the spirit of things returning to normal, I want to highlight an amazing artist that is currently touring… Joan As Police Woman is the stage name of Joan Wasser. Born in 1970, Joan was into music from a very young age. She started piano at age six and then violin at eight. She went on to study music at Boston University and played with their symphony orchestra before joining a number of local punk bands where she made a name for herself in the indie music scene. Joan is what you could call a musician’s musician. She is widely respected in the industry, and as a signer songwriter she is supremely gifted. She produces her own stuff as well which is even more impressive. It comes as no shock then that she has collaborated with some of the best artists out there; performing with Elton John, Lou Reed, Rufus Wainwright, John Cale, Sheryl Crow, the Scissor Sisters, Sparklehorse, Dave Gahan, Tanya Donelly, Joseph Arthur, and Fan Modine (just to name just a few). My partner and her sister saw her live a couple of nights ago and came back raving. Joan and her band were brilliant as usual. There is so much depth to her music, and the connection with her band results in a live performance that you really feel part of. It’s soulful, genre-defying and so damn cool. One punter couldn’t resist getting up and dancing on stage, much to the delight of the crowd. Her new album ‘The Solution Is Restless’ is a real musical journey, the result of an inspired collaboration with Dave Okumu and the late, great Tony Allen. If you haven’t discovered the brilliance that is JAPW yet, I highly recommend that you check out this gem of an album first, then work your way back through her catalogue. Don’t blame me if you find yourself as addicted to Joan as many of us already are – DS