Real Life (Joan as Police Woman album)

Real Life
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 12, 2006 (UK); June 12, 2007 (US)
GenreJazz, pop rock
Length38:14
Bonus disc: 15:25
LabelReveal Records (United Kingdom)
ProducerJoan Wasser
Joan as Police Woman chronology
Real Life
(2006)
To Survive
(2008)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
Entertainment WeeklyB+
The Guardian
musicOMH
Pitchfork Media8.1/10
Rolling Stone
Spin7/10
Stylus MagazineB+
Tiny Mix Tapes

Real Life is the debut studio album by Joan As Police Woman (Joan Wasser), released by Reveal Records in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2006, and a year later in the United States.

In addition to the standard jewel-case release, it was released in a limited-edition digipak with Wasser art card and as a 2-disc expanded edition.

"I Defy" was co-written by the Antony and the Johnsons' singer Antony Hegarty, who also contributed vocals to the track. In September 2006, she performed a live-session at the BBC.

The album has received much critical acclaim, being variously described as "splendidly slinky", "a magical journey", and "a fine showcase". In her review in The Guardian, Caroline Sullivan described the album as "pensive and gentle; sometimes stately of tempo, sometimes slightly breathless, but always erring on the side of lovely understatement."

In early 2008, Real Life won in the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Pop/Rock Album.

It was awarded a silver certification from the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 30,000 copies throughout Europe.