New York City-based musician and singer-songwriter Joan As Police Woman returns today with a new track and music video for ‘Full Time Heist’, the third single from her forthcoming album Lemons, Limes & Orchids.
The piano-driven ‘Full Time Heist’ hears Joan As Police Woman reflect on meeting someone consumed by their need for praise. Witnessing the lengths taken to convince the world and themselves they should be worshiped, Joan portrays them as using a blindfold on anyone they can to mask reality. Her powerfully controlled vocals are on full display, singing in almost a whisper while building to small explosions of harmony and intensity.
Refreshingly honest, the lyrics examine the fickle trappings of celebrity without judgment. Speaking on her original inspiration, Joan As Police Woman said: “‘Full-Time Heist’ is about an attempted bank robbery. The bank, in this case, is truth. The hook of the song uses the phrase “pull the wool over one’s eyes”. The etymology comes from 18th century wig-wearing gentlemen. Thieves would try to steal from them by pulling their massive wigs over their eyes. ‘You think if you insist enough, someone will believe you, well sadly you’re right. Few think for themselves and you can use that, few think for themselves.”
The accompanying music video pulls reference from Wim Wenders’ classic film Wings Of Desire, where angels are able to gently soothe the humans on earth they engage with, but cannot change an outcome or get involved. The focal couple of the video fight about what constitutes “truth” and who is playing who while Joan watches them, having little agency over what happens.
Watch the Video for ‘Full Time Heist’ HERE
‘Full Time Heist’ follows previous critically received singles ‘Long For Ruin’ and ‘Back Again’ which garnered support from Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, Under the Radar and more.
Joan As Police Woman will release her 10th studio album Lemons, Limes & Orchids on September 20 via Play It Again Sam. At its core, the new album is a record about love and loss. Beyond that, it is ultimately a body of work that functions as a nocturne for the expansion of time. A tribute to holding on with a supreme focus on audibly reckoning with our collective collapse and disorientation. It’s about how love leaves us breathless from joy and from sorrow.
A crowning showcase of Joan’s artistry in all its metamorphic splendor, the new album sees Joan venture deeper into her jazz influences with further affectations associated with electronic and ambient music. The album features production and instrumentation from an impressive list of collaborators. The accomplished personnel includes the legendary and GRAMMY-Award winning Meshell Ndegeocello on bass, Chris Bruce (Seal, Trevor Horn, Alanis Morisette) on guitar, Daniel Mintseris (St. Vincent, David Byrne, Elvis Costello & The Imposters) on keys, and Parker Kindred (Jeff Buckley, Liam Gallagher) and Otto Hauser alternating on drums.
Lemons, Limes & Orchids will mark Joan As Police Woman’s first project since the 2021 release of The Solution Is Restless; the sprawling collaborative album made with the late Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen and multi-disciplinary artist Dave Okumu. Sonically spanning afrobeat, jazz, trip-hop, pop-rock and funk, upon its release the album garnered rapturous critical acclaim from The Guardian, NPR, NME, Stereogum, The Line Of Best Fit, CLASH and Rolling Stone Australia. Eventually parlaying into more plaudits from Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and an invitation to play All Points East Festival with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.
Over the course of Joan’s illustrious 3-decade career, she’s made more than considerable strides building her pedigree as a live act. Performing with and alongside luminaries like Lou Reed, Rufus Wainwright, Damon Albarn, John Cale, Laurie Anderson, Sufjan Stevens, Anohni, Beck, Toshi Reagon and most notably the late Jeff Buckley, who she has affectionately referred to as her soulmate. When not touring and recording, Joan also teaches at NYU’s prestigious Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.
Earlier this year, Joan joined Iggy Pop’s touring band as a keyboardist and background vocalist. In October she’ll be embarking on her own European headline tour.
Album artwork and tracklist:
1. The Dream
2. Full Time Heist
3. Back Again
4. With Hope In My Breath
5. Long For Ruin
6. Started Off Free
7. Remember The Voice
8. Oh Joan
9. Lemons, Limes and Orchids
10. Tribute To Holding On
11. Safe To Say
12. Help Is On Its Way
Follow Joan As Policewoman:
Instagram – YouTube – Facebook – Website
