Real Life (Joan as Police Woman album)

{{Infobox album

| name = Real Life

| type = Studio

| artist = Joan as Police Woman

| cover = japw_real_life.jpg

| alt =

| released = June 12, 2006 (UK); June 12, 2007 (US)

| recorded =

| venue =

| genre = Jazz, pop rock

| length = 38:14
Bonus disc: 15:25

| label = Reveal Records (United Kingdom)

| producer = Joan Wasser

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = To Survive

| next_year = 2008

}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{Cite web |last=Phares |first=Heather |title=Real Life Review |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/real-life-mw0000583147 |website=AllMusic |access-date=2024-08-25 |archive-date=2023-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310200854/https://www.allmusic.com/album/real-life-mw0000583147 |url-status=live }}

| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev2Score = B+Greenblatt, Leah (June 8, 2007). [http://www.ew.com/article/2007/06/08/real-life "Real Life"]. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 22, 2016.

| rev3 = The Guardian

| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}

| rev4 = musicOMH

| rev4Score = {{rating|4|5}}Hubbard, Michael (June 12, 2006). [http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/joan-as-police-woman-real-life "Joan As Police Woman – Real Life"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130202104646/https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/joan-as-police-woman-real-life |date=2013-02-02 }}. musicOMH. Retrieved January 22, 2016.

| rev5 = Pitchfork Media

| rev5score = 8.1/10

| rev6 = Rolling Stone

| rev6Score = {{rating|2.5|5}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20090615174721/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/joanaspolicewoman "Joan As Police Woman"]. Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 22, 2016.

| rev7 = Spin

| rev7Score = 7/10Hunter, James (July 23, 2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20121024045010/http://www.spin.com/reviews/joan-police-woman-real-life-cheap-lullaby "Joan As Police Woman, 'Real Life'"]. Spin. Retrieved January 22, 2016.

| rev8 = Stylus Magazine

| rev8Score = B+

| rev9 = Tiny Mix Tapes

| rev9Score = {{rating|3|5}}Berman, Judy. [http://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/joan-police-woman-real-life-b-sides "Joan as Police Woman – Real Life / B-Sides"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128183930/http://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/joan-police-woman-real-life-b-sides |date=2016-01-28 }}. Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved January 22, 2016.

}}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{{Citation|title=Real Life|date=2006-06-12|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000F5GKTK|publisher=Reveal|accessdate=2016-12-04|archive-date=2024-08-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240825001558/https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000F5GKTK|url-status=live}} with Wasser art card and as a 2-disc expanded edition.{{Citation|title=Real Life|date=2007-07-23|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000RPCEI4|publisher=Reveal Records|accessdate=2016-12-04|archive-date=2024-08-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240825001533/https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000RPCEI4|url-status=live}}

"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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00lbfgz|title=Joan as Police Woman – Archive session (2006), 20/10/2011, Gideon Coe - BBC Radio 6 Music|website=BBC|access-date=2016-12-06}}

The album has received much critical acclaim, being variously described as "splendidly slinky",{{Cite web |date=August 27, 2007 |title=Joan as Police Woman: Real Life |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10563-real-life/ |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-01-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131103657/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10563-real-life/ |url-status=live }} "a magical journey",{{Cite web |last= |title=Joan As Police Woman – Real Life – Your London Reviews |url=http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Music-Review/joan-as-police-woman-real-life |access-date=2016-12-04 |website=IndieLondon |archive-date=2016-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182902/http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Music-Review/joan-as-police-woman-real-life |url-status=live }} and "a fine showcase".{{Cite web |last=Forrester |first=Iain |date=Sep 13, 2006 |title=Joan as Police Woman - Real Life - Review |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/joan-as-police-woman/real-life.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182156/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/joan-as-police-woman/real-life.htm |archive-date=Mar 3, 2016 |website=Stylus Magazine}} 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."[http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,1977142,00.html "Joan As Police Woman, Real Life"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528042120/http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,1977142,00.html |date=2008-05-28 }}, The Guardian, by Caroline Sullivan, 21 Dec 2006

In early 2008, Real Life won in the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Pop/Rock Album.[http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima_new/jukebox2008.asp Independent Music Awards – 7th Annual Winners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306201430/http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima_new/jukebox2008.asp |date=2009-03-06 }}

It was awarded a silver certification from the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 30,000 copies throughout Europe.{{cite web |date=15 June 2007 |title=IMPALA announces new award winners for independents music companies |url=http://www.impalamusic.org/arc_static/docum/04-press/press_150607.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805014908/http://www.impalamusic.org/arc_static/docum/04-press/press_150607.htm |archive-date=2017-08-05 |website=IMPALA Music}}