Joan As Police Woman
Tell Me
Reveal Records
It surprises me that I hadn’t really listened to Joan As Police Woman before this, seeing as she was the partner of Jeff Buckley at the time of his death. Although there doesn’t seem to be much of a style overlap in their works, I am nevertheless impressed by her latest single Tell Me, taken from Damned Devotion which is out February 9.
Tell Me is a groovy, downtempo track which feels like it’d be right at home in a sophisticated bar, playing softly amongst cocktail-drinking professionals. If you’ve never quite understood the genre ‘adult alternative’ this might be a good place to start. It doesn’t feel overly modern; it could have been released in the early 90s and felt just as appropriate.
Wasser’s smooth and soulful voice questions on a loop; “Tell me, tell me, tell me, what do you want? Tell me, tell me, tell me, what do you need?” It beautifully communicates those periods of uncertainty in love, where so much is unspoken and you’re eventually begging for clarity. The repetition of the phrase does not bore; rather, it is reflective of the relentless thoughts one would have in such a situation.
The glistening synth about a minute in accompanied by a sharp and simple drum beat make for an easy listen, but one that is pleasant and repeat-worthy rather than somniferous. Amongst the fast-paced popular music of today which is largely dominated by the loud and the bold, it is lovely to hear something like this as a musical breath of fresh air.
ELOISE PARKS
