There aren’t too many artists out there that have released two albums, worked with people from bands as well-known as Bright Eyes and Mumford & Sons and toured with a list of equally renowned artists - all by the time they reach the age of 20. Even fewer have done it with the precision and awe-inspiring manner of Hammersmith’s Alessi Laurent-Marke – aka Alessi’s Ark. Two years after the release of her debut album ‘Notes from the Treehouse’ (which was produced by Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis) and Alessi is back with her second LP ‘Time Travel’.
Like her previous offering, ‘Time Travel’ is an engaging yet easygoing listen. However, at a mere 28 minutes in length, with few of the tracks exceeding the three-minute mark, it is also a very modest listen – proving that the best things often come in small packages. Also somewhat dissimilar to her debut is the utter diversity of this record. Where ‘Notes from the Treehouse’ was more of a straightforward acoustic affair, ‘Time Travel’ takes things much further, employing a grand mixture of musical styles such as folk, country, pop and surf rock.
This can be heard right away on opener ‘Kind of Man’, which begins as a captivatingly mellow acoustic number before blossoming into a dreamy country song featuring a smooth slide guitar solo. ‘On The Plain’, on the other hand, is more of a chilled-out indie track that provides a complementary liveliness to the album’s otherwise calming effect.
Alessi’s voice itself also has a very enchanting air on its own merit, displaying a mysterious edge to the backdrop of the album’s overall charm. This can be heard most clearly on ‘Maybe I Know’, a cover of a pop classic by ‘60s singer Lesley Gore, which Alessi makes her own by taking the cheery sound of the original and adding a folky and more melancholic tone.
A great second effort from a promising new artist.
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This can be heard right away on opener ‘Kind of Man’, which begins as a captivatingly mellow acoustic number before blossoming into a dreamy country song featuring a smooth slide guitar solo. ‘On The Plain’, on the other hand, is more of a chilled-out indie track that provides a complementary liveliness to the album’s otherwise calming effect. 
