Joan as Police Woman came through last night, and although her last album was an overwrought snoozefest, I still gotz love for the original. Plus, LA gave her live show the stamp of approval, and I was music-deprived. When I tried to describe her to my roommate, I came up short. When ‘Let It Die’ came out, it kinda fell in the singer/songwriter category, but that description wouldn’t do Feist justice, right? I feel the same way about JAPW – she’s somewhere between a glorified singer/songwriter and a stripped down rock/r&b band but with all kinds of unexpected left-turns to throw you off her scent.

And in person, she defied the name-calling even further. She introduced a few new jams, including a soul/r&b-heavy stunner called “Kiss the Specifics,” and unleashed a few wild covers. She rocked out Britney Spears’ “Overprotected”, stripped down David Bowie’s “Sweet Thing,” and – honestly? – kinda nailed “She Watched Channel Zero” by Public Enemy. She even beefed up the entries from her last album. But she was still at her at best and most confident with the ‘Real Life’ material. “Flushed Chest” was extra smoky and cool, "Anyone" snuck up on me as a legit 70s R&B love jam, and she absolutely slayed my favorite, “Save Me.”

Yes, the last album was a loser, but I’m feelin a return to form for Ms. Wasser.

Now, I didn’t mention the gold lamee turtleneck with shoulder pads, tucked into brown leather, zipper-pocket pants up to her stomach, tucked into chrome moonboots with heels, and topped off with a fur coat and a blown-out 80s cokehead haircut. Homegirl is out there. But going on 40, she’s pretty cool.