Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Songwriters and musicians have long used emotional turmoil as a source of inspiration, but on The Classic -- which nods to '60s and '70s soul with its sound and title -- Joan Wasser proves that happiness can make for smart, relatable songs too. Even though this is easily her most joyous album, it isn't completely new territory. Joan as Police Woman's previous albums showed that Wasser can set loss, grief, and acceptance to song like few others and also had uplifting moments that broke through like sunbeams. And while plenty of singers -- most notably Amy Winehouse's mod neo-soul and Chan Marshall in her Memphis-flavored era -- have revisited this kind of sound, Wasser puts her own stamp on it. The Classic is full of smoky vocals and slinky melodies that are unmistakably hers; they're just lit up. The results are some of her most accessible music yet, such as the radiant closing track, "Ask Me." At times, the instrumentation borders on clichéd instead of classic; after half a century of peppy brass and wah-wah guitars signifying "happy" and "empowered," it's hard to wring anything new out of those sounds. More often than not, Wasser manages to do just that by playing against the expectations of upbeat soul music as much as she plays into them: the title track mixes beatboxing and doo wop vocals as it sings the praises of being innocent enough to fall in love and mature enough to move on from the past, while "Shame" uses its brassy choruses to banish a "dirty space invader." The mix of clarity and sensuality in Wasser's songwriting makes The Classic's message -- that happiness is an active choice rather than a passive state -- all the more dynamic. The album's best songs aren't about being happy, but what it takes to be ready for happiness. On the bold opener, "Witness," Wasser depicts her self-defeating thoughts as "a tape that's played forever"; "Good Together" dispels the nostalgia around an old flame with a massive, cobweb-clearing beat; and "What Would You Do" underscores her impatience with people and situations that don't work. Joan as Police Woman takes almost as many musical risks as emotional ones on The Classic, particularly on lengthy tracks like "Get Direct" and "New Year's Day," but this bravery is usually rewarded, and rewarding. While the album's brightness may take some getting used to, listeners who love her music for how well she expresses feelings that are universal yet hard to articulate will appreciate how vividly The Classic captures joy and what it takes to get it.
© Heather Phares /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
Joan Wasser, Composer - Joan As Police Woman, MainArtist - Tyler Wood, Producer, MixingEngineer
2013 Play It Again Sam 2013 Play It Again Sam
Joan Wasser, Composer - Joan As Police Woman, MainArtist - Tyler Wood, Producer, MixingEngineer
2013 Play It Again Sam 2013 Play It Again Sam
Joan Wasser, Composer - Joan As Police Woman, MainArtist - Tyler Wood, Producer, MixingEngineer
2013 Play It Again Sam 2013 Play It Again Sam
Joan Wasser, Composer - Joan As Police Woman, MainArtist - Tyler Wood, Producer, MixingEngineer
2013 Play It Again Sam 2013 Play It Again Sam
Joan Wasser, Composer - Joan As Police Woman, MainArtist - Tyler Wood, Producer, MixingEngineer
2013 Play It Again Sam 2013 Play It Again Sam
Joan Wasser, Composer - Joan As Police Woman, MainArtist - Tyler Wood, Producer, MixingEngineer
2013 Play It Again Sam 2013 Play It Again Sam
Joan Wasser, Composer - Joan As Police Woman, MainArtist - Tyler Wood, Producer, MixingEngineer
2013 Play It Again Sam 2013 Play It Again Sam
Joan Wasser, Composer - Joan As Police Woman, MainArtist - Tyler Wood, Producer, MixingEngineer
2013 Play It Again Sam 2013 Play It Again Sam
Joan Wasser, Composer - Joan As Police Woman, MainArtist - Tyler Wood, Producer, MixingEngineer
2013 Play It Again Sam 2013 Play It Again Sam
Joan Wasser, Composer - Joan As Police Woman, MainArtist - Tyler Wood, Producer, MixingEngineer
2013 Play It Again Sam 2013 Play It Again Sam
Album review
Songwriters and musicians have long used emotional turmoil as a source of inspiration, but on The Classic -- which nods to '60s and '70s soul with its sound and title -- Joan Wasser proves that happiness can make for smart, relatable songs too. Even though this is easily her most joyous album, it isn't completely new territory. Joan as Police Woman's previous albums showed that Wasser can set loss, grief, and acceptance to song like few others and also had uplifting moments that broke through like sunbeams. And while plenty of singers -- most notably Amy Winehouse's mod neo-soul and Chan Marshall in her Memphis-flavored era -- have revisited this kind of sound, Wasser puts her own stamp on it. The Classic is full of smoky vocals and slinky melodies that are unmistakably hers; they're just lit up. The results are some of her most accessible music yet, such as the radiant closing track, "Ask Me." At times, the instrumentation borders on clichéd instead of classic; after half a century of peppy brass and wah-wah guitars signifying "happy" and "empowered," it's hard to wring anything new out of those sounds. More often than not, Wasser manages to do just that by playing against the expectations of upbeat soul music as much as she plays into them: the title track mixes beatboxing and doo wop vocals as it sings the praises of being innocent enough to fall in love and mature enough to move on from the past, while "Shame" uses its brassy choruses to banish a "dirty space invader." The mix of clarity and sensuality in Wasser's songwriting makes The Classic's message -- that happiness is an active choice rather than a passive state -- all the more dynamic. The album's best songs aren't about being happy, but what it takes to be ready for happiness. On the bold opener, "Witness," Wasser depicts her self-defeating thoughts as "a tape that's played forever"; "Good Together" dispels the nostalgia around an old flame with a massive, cobweb-clearing beat; and "What Would You Do" underscores her impatience with people and situations that don't work. Joan as Police Woman takes almost as many musical risks as emotional ones on The Classic, particularly on lengthy tracks like "Get Direct" and "New Year's Day," but this bravery is usually rewarded, and rewarding. While the album's brightness may take some getting used to, listeners who love her music for how well she expresses feelings that are universal yet hard to articulate will appreciate how vividly The Classic captures joy and what it takes to get it.
© Heather Phares /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:52:09
- Main artists: Joan As Police Woman
- Composer: Joan As Police Woman
- Label: Play It Again Sam
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
2013 Play It Again Sam 2013 Play It Again Sam
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.