Joan As Police Woman has announced Covers Two, a stunning second covers album including tracks by The Strokes, Prince, Talk Talk, and more. She recently released a three song EP to preview the project that includes songs “Out of Time” (Blur), “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” (Grease), and “Spread” (Outkast). She worked with a variety of friends and influences on the album including Meshell Ndegeocello, Justin Hicks, Thomas Bartlett (Doveman, The Gloaming), Shahzad Ismaily (Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Tom Waits), Jim White and more. She will be touring Europe in May and is set to perform in New York City at Joe’s Pub on June 25.
Joan says, “I began working on new covers ever since the release of the first covers album 11 years ago! I’ve been performing “Kiss” by Prince and my version of “Out of Time” by Blur throughout last year’s Joanthology Tour and finished the record as soon as I returned home this winter. Recreating existing songs is a gratifying creative challenge for me, especially with songs I adore. I start with the question ‘WHY, exactly, do I love this song’? I take those elements and reform them, sometimes removing much of the remaining material to refocus them through new glasses. I re-harmonize the chords, radically change the feel or shift the hook or the phrasing to rebuild the composition.”
Born in Maine, Joan began studying violin in elementary school and went on to study classical violin at university. She started pushing the boundaries on her violin and performed regularly with local punk bands. In 2002, she began touring with Rufus Wainwright for his Want One and Want Two albums, playing in his band and as his opening act. For her EP, Joan As Police Woman played as a simple duo, with Ben Perowsky on drums, and eventually added Rainy Orteca on bass.
Her first record, Real Life, earned the band “Best Rock and Pop Album,” at the Independent Music Awards. Her second album, To Survive, was chosen in 2008, as one of Q Magazine’s, “Albums of the Year.” Joan has spoken often of how vital music and music-making is to her life. “I can comfortably say that music has saved my life. I am a devotee. It’s not something I can even choose or not choose, it’s just what it is.
Joan said in a statement, “I just want to be making music all the time.” This has led to a large and diverse list of co-collaborators: Tony Allen, Damon Albarn, Lou Reed, Beck, Afel Bocoum, Meshell Ndegeocello, Toshi Reagon, David Sylvian, Benjamin Lazar Davis, Sparklehorse, Laurie Anderson, Sufjan Stevens, John Cale, Aldous Harding, Woodkid, Justin Vivian Bond, RZA, Norah Jones, Lau, Doveman, Rufus Wainwright and Daniel Johnston.
Cover Two Tracklist:
1. Kiss (Prince)
2. Spread (Outkast)
3. Under Control (The Strokes)
4. Not The Way (Cass McCombs)
5. I Keep Forgettin’ (Michael Macdonald)
6. Life’s What You Make It (Talk Talk)
7. Out of Time (Blur)
8. On The Beach (Neil Young)
9. There Are Worse Things I Could Do (Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs)
10. Running (Gil Scott-Heron)
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