Alessi’s Ark: Live at the ICA
Words by Flic Wallace
The allure of watching Alessi’s Ark perform live is conjured up by a mixture of sweet, engaging folk songs and the curious character of singer Alessi herself. On stage, Alessi appears interestingly strange, (dare I say ‘kooky’?), in one sense nervous of her performance, but with an undercurrent of utter confidence that is justified by the quality of the music she has for her audiences to hear.
Alessi’s simplistic and straightforward plucked guitar patterns are adorned with complimentary backing. Keys, percussion and electric guitar, both blend with and augment the gentle acoustic tunes, giving a polished and fuller finish. What really lifts these charming songs from the realms of benchmark pop is their entanglement with Alessi – the sense that they belong to her only, unquestionably authorized by her lyrics and voice. Alessi’s child-like vocals convulse and move with attractive melodies. With her unusual voice and lyrics evoking the imagery of white doves and sinking ships makes comparisons to Joanna Newsom inescapable, but with Alessi’s Ark offering perhaps a more accessible style.
Performing ‘Woman’ without band accompaniment, Alessi silences the listeners, proving that the welcome addition of gleaned backing is not however, a necessity. With just simple chord progressions and an earnestly sincere execution, it is as if Alessi lays herself bare, not only in performance but in her almost delicately private words, ‘some things are better sung than said/I’d like to walk around in your beautiful head…all I am is a woman’. With such maturity in both song writing and intimate offerings, at just 18 years old, it appears Alessi and her Ark have an exciting future to offer.
http://www.myspace.com/alessisark
Posted Wed, March 11, 2009