New Yorker Joan Wasser has described her music as "Punk Rock R&B" and "American Soul Music".
But her previous work with Rufus Wainwright, Antony and the Johnsons, Lou Reed and Sparklehorse gives a better idea of the style and quality of her own band's output.
This disc features four pretty songs, with ethereal intimacy on piano and strings ballad Real Life, haunting grooves on I Defy, which features Antony (of "and the Johnsons" renown), and the slightly dull serenity of lead track The Ride.
The real standout number is Eternal Flame, though, which demonstrates the striking timbre of Joan's vocals and her skill at musical arrangement.
The throbbing combination of her voice and the roots-style bass vocal contrasts with the traditional percussion to create an almost psychedelic song of phenomenal depth.
Released May 29, 2006
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