Arriving just one week before launching her Real Life 20th Anniversary Tour, iconic NYC singer-songwriter Joan As Police Woman presents ‘We Don’t Own It’ from her new album ‘Real Life Evolution’, a superb reimagining of her 2006 debut ‘Real Life’ album with a new cast of collaborators, released via UK label Reveal Records.
She also shares the final live performance video for that song from her Real Life Anniversary Sessions video series, while announcing a new set of confirmed live dates for her tour, bringing her show to New Zealand and Australian audiences.
Joan Wasser, known as Joan As Police Woman since 2004, is a critically acclaimed musician and producer, and a sought-after collaborator, dubbed “the coolest woman in pop” (The Times) and “one of the 21st century’s best musicians” (The Economist). As a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, her music defies easy categorization, crafting her own sound that blends various genres.
With two very different versions of this epic song, Joan’s masterclass in self-reinvention proves that great songwriting isn’t a static artifact locked in time, but a living, elastic template capable of transformation.
The album version, recorded by Danny Blume (Iggy Pop, Nick Lowe, Gavin Friday, Jewel, Lisa Loeb) at Hidden Quarry Studios in Bearsville, NY, finds Joan on vocals and synths, joined by Thomas Bartlett on bass and Parker Kindred on drums. A supple, forward-thinking groove, brimming with Grace Jones-esque swagger, reggae-touched rhythms, and subtle electronic touchpoints, the track breathes fresh, organic space into her signature sound.
In contrast, the soulful stripped-down Sessions performance video sees Joan in live trio format as she plays electric guitar, accompanied by Jeremy Gustin on drums and Will Graefe on acoustic guitar, each of them beautifully harmonizing vocals. Filmed at The Owl Music Parlor in Brooklyn by Ehud Lazin, the sound was recorded by Adam Sachs.
“I wrote this song after Elliott Smith died. Watching the frenzy around the details of his death, I recognized something I had learned years earlier when I lost my friend, my fiancé, my collaborator — Jeff Buckley. Grief makes us desperate for answers, but death doesn’t offer them. It makes even less sense to those who are deep in pain, mourning a friend, a family member, someone they admired. Death is something to sit with, not to solve,” says Joan Wasser.
“Parker Kindred and I built this one around one of his vintage 80s drum machines — we’re both devoted to the Sly Stone approach of letting the drum machine drive the whole creative process. Thomas Bartlett holds it down on Rhodes bass while I let loose on keys. The song was never asking for more weight; it wanted to breathe, and this version allows it.”
This new single arrives on the trail of ‘Save Me’, for which she teamed up with the illustrious Iggy Pop. Earlier, Joan shared intimate versions of ‘Feed The Light’, ‘Eternal Flame’, ‘Flushed Chest’, ‘The Ride’, ‘Anyone’, the title track ‘Real Life’, ‘I Defy’, and the invigorating ‘Christobel’.
“Some transformations are subtle. Others are seismic. All of them were made with an entirely new cast of collaborators. Among them are two extraordinary vocalists. The inimitable Iggy Pop — whose band I’ve had the privilege of touring with, playing keys and singing — recorded a stunning version of ‘Save Me’ while we were on the road in New Zealand. We had to work around the birds outside, who apparently had strong opinions about the session. Then there’s Krystle Warren, a true original and one of my favorite singers alive. Her voice is so deeply soulful that ‘I Defy’ feels like it thoroughly enjoyed easily slipping into its brand new groove,” says Joan Wasser.
Music has a way of taking on a life of its own, evolving and revealing new meaning as the years pass. Through countless performances, the new renditions on this extraordinary album are brought to life by the brilliance of the players who helped define their sound. This remarkable opportunity to hear Joan return to the music that helped define her artistic journey brings new perspective, texture, and energy to songs that have already stood the test of time.
Joan shares, “Will Graefe brings his emotionally masterful guitar work and Jeremy Gustin his remarkable rhythmic sensibility to several tracks. Parker Kindred’s inventive drum creations were the spark behind others. Thomas Bartlett unlocked a new dimension of the title track — honoring its original feeling while casting it in a warmer, amber light — and added Rhodes bass throughout. This album gave me the chance to reunite, decades on, with upright bassist Tony Scherr, guitarist Oren Bloedow, and funk bassist Danny Blume — musicians whose artistry has only deepened with time.”
Joan As Police Woman has released ten albums of original material, two cover albums, and an anthology. She has recorded and performed with hundreds of artists, including Afrobeat legend Tony Allen, Lou Reed, Anohni & The Johnsons, Meshell Ndegeocello, Rufus Wainwright, John Cale, David Byrne, Dave Okumu, Chris Dowd, Lau, Scissor Sisters, Sparklehorse, Beck, Laurie Anderson, Lloyd Cole, Afel Bocoum, Dave Gahan, Tanya Donelly, Damon Albarn and Gorillaz.
Released 20 years to the day from her debut album, ‘Real Life Evolution’ is out everywhere digitally and on CD and Limited Edition exclusive red marble vinyl on Bandcamp. Tickets for Joan’s ‘Real Life 20th Anniversary Tour’ can be ordered at www.joanaspolicewoman.com/tour.
ALBUM CREDITS
All songs written by Joan Wasser
Published by Fists of Fury (BMI / Domino Publishing),
except “I Defy” written by Joan Wasser & Anohni (Rebis Music (ASCAP))
Produced by Joan Wasser except “I Defy”, “We Don’t Own It” and “Feed The Light” produced by Joan Wasser & Parker Kindred
Mixed by Patrick Dillett at Reservoir Studios
Mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound
Joan Wasser – vocals, piano, Wurlitzer, strings
Krystle Warren – vocals
Will Graefe – acoustic guitar
Jeremy Gustin – drums, vocals
Oren Bloedow – electric guitar
Danny Blume – electric bass
Parker Kindred – drums
Tony Scherr – upright bass
Krystal Warren – vocals on ‘I Defy’
Iggy Pop – vocals on ‘Save Me’
Album package concept, design & photos by Judi Rosen
(p) & (c) 2026 Sweet Police LLC under exclusive licence to Reveal Records
Recorded by Adam Sachs live at The Owl Music Parlor, Brooklyn, NYC
‘Real Life Anniversary Session’ video filmed by Ehud Lazin
Adam Sachs – audio recording engineer & mixer
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
ALBUM TRACK LIST
1.Anyone (Real Life Evolution version)
2.Flushed Chest (Real Life Evolution version)
3.The Ride (Real Life Evolution version)
4.I Defy feat. Krystle Warren (Real Life Evolution version)
5.Feed The Light (Real Life Evolution Version)
6.Christobel (Real Life Evolution version)
7.Save Me feat. Iggy Pop (Real Life Evolution version)
8.We Don’t Own It (Real Life Evolution version)
9.Eternal Flame (Real Life Evolution version)
10.Real Life (Real Life Evolution version)
REAL LIFE ANNIVERSARY TOUR
NOV 3 Katowice, Poland – Rialto
NOV 5 London, UK – Union Chapel
NOV 6 London, UK – Union Chapel
NOV 7 Manchester, UK – RNCM (Royal Northern College of Music)
NOV 9 Glasgow, UK – Oran Mor
NOV 11 Brugge, Belgium – Cactus Club
NOV 12 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Zonnehuis (sold out)
NOV 13 Hamburg, Germany – Mojo Club
NOV 15 Aarhus, Denmark – Train
NOV 16 Copenhagen, Denmark – DR Concert Hall
NOV 18 Budapest, Hungary – House of Music Hungary
NOV 22 Berlin, Germany – Haus des Rundfunks & Großer Sendesaal
FEB 12 Paris, France – Alhambra
FEB 14 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Zonnehuis
FEB 16 Bremen, Germany – Kulturzentrum Radio Bremen
FEB 17 Heidelberg, Germany – Kulturhaus Karlstorbahnhof
FEB 19 Schorndorf, Germany – Club Manufaktur
FEB 21 Brighton, UK – Komedia
FEB 22 Cambridge, UK – Cambridge Junction (J2)
FEB 23 Norwich, UK – Norwich Arts Centre
FEB 24 Leeds, UK – Howard Assembly Room
FEB 26 Bologna, Italy – Estragon Club
FEB 27 Milan, Italy – Santeria Toscana 31
MAR 6-7 Port Fairy, Australia – Port Fairy Folk Festival
MAR 9 Sydney, Australia – City Recital Hall
MAR 12 Melbourne, Australia – Melbourne Recital Centre
MAR 13 Geelong, Australia – Geelong Arts Centre
MAR 18 Christchurch, New Zealand – The Piano: Centre for Music and the Arts
MAR 19 Wellington, New Zealand – Old St Paul’s
MAR 20 Auckland, New Zealand – SkyCity Theatre
MAY 5 Rome, Italy – MONK
MAY 23 Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz 2