Joan Wasser is as seductive as they come. And so is her music. In her time she has toured with renowned artists like Rufus Wainwright; she joined Antony and the Johnsons and played with Sheryl Crow, the Scissor Sisters and Elton John.
When she took to the Fly By Night stage in Fremantle last Saturday night, she did so with a humble candour unexpected of a seasoned musician such as herself.
The room fell under her spell by the time the first word left her lips, sporting a white body suit similar to that of Luke Skywalker. She was quick to tell the audience how she loves Perth and Australia with her sultry voice and you could only believe her.
Joan As Police Woman were touring with their new album The Deep Field; Perth being the final leg of their Australian tour.
The Deep Field is a bit rockier than their earlier works but is still packed full of soulful love songs with soaring vocals. Enlisting the help of Tyler Woods on synths and Parker Kindred on drums, the trio produced some spectacular harmonies together while Wasser jumped between guitar and keyboard. The rockiest of her repertoire, ‘The Magic’ set audiences in an involuntary, toe-tapping, convulsion the venue over.
Audiences were delighted when the band returned to the stage for two encore songs after receiving a standing ovation from Perth patrons. If you like the earlier works of French-band Phoenix, you’ll fall in love her just as much as I have.
Benn Dorrington
***
