Q: Why are we stopping in the name of love?

A: Ask Christobel.

Joan As Police Woman
Christobel
Real Life, 2006

Cousin Doug introduced me to Joan As Police Woman last week, and I've had the Brooklyn trio's debut on rotation ever since. It's good stuff (although, for some odd reason, it's currently only available in the UK).

The band's frontwoman is sexy Joan Wasser. You may not know the name, but you've likely heard her violining one place or another; aside from extensive work in studio and on tour with a who's who of top-shelf rockers, she's a former Dambuilder, sometime Johnson (of Antony & the... fame) and erstwhile lover of the late Jeff Buckley.

Those of you at SXSW should check out JAPW's live act on Thurdsay and/or Friday (the band's complete touring sked, plus more music for sampling, is available on Joan's MySpace).

If you're not at SXSW, make yourself useful and create an entry for the band on Wikipedia. And if you're Stephen Thomas Erlewine, you may review Real Life here.

ETC., ETC.: Peruse the lyrics for "Christobel"; or purchase the Real Life import via Amazon.