As part of the coursework for her music GCSE she had to compose the music and lyrics for a song. Through the basic chords she had learnt fooling around on her sister’s guitar and “the combination of the poetry and the stories that I had been writing for my fanzine” she composed the song Glendora (which eventually ended up on her debut album), which her music teacher encouraged her to sing at the school assembly. Discovering a new passion for writing and performing, she left school to pursue music at age 16. Although supported by her parents, she promised them that she would return to school after one year if nothing came of it.During this time she quickly gained a following with her demos posted on her MySpace and self-released an EP called Bedroom Bound that she sold through her page (on her independent label Zooey). To avoid confusion with the music act the Alessi Brothers, her mother suggested calling herself Alessi’s Ark: “I liked the idea of a boat, where everybody is welcome, even friends that are geographically far away – we are together.” Representatives from record labels Heavenly Records and EMI soon saw her performing and offered her a deal. On the eve of her 17th birthday she signed to EMI.
Mike Mogis worked with Alessi and she travelled to Nebraska to record the album at Mogis’ and Conor Oberst’s studio in Omaha.
The resulting album, Notes From The Treehouse, was released in May, 2009, featuring full band versions of some of the songs from her Bedroom Bound EP, as well as newer compositions such as The Dog and Hummingbird. The album also featured many musicians that inspired her to begin making music including Jake Bellows of Neva Dinova and Nate Walcott from Bright Eyes.
Following the release of the album, Alessi’s Ark continues to play live around the UK and also played support to a diverse range of artists such as Robyn Hitchcock, Mariee Sioux, Johnny Flynn, Emilíana Torrini and Cerys Matthews, as well as playing at Neil Young’s Hyde Park show in London in June. Riverside Studios in Hammersmith also played host to an exhibition of her drawings inspired by her songs, called Handmade, which ran from August 20 to September 27 2009.
Alessi is working on a new EP of songs which will be self released early 2010 and will be touring Germany with Jake Bellows in December and with Sons Of Noel And Adrian in January.
Edited by raisedonrobbery on 7 Dec 2009, 09:51
Sources (view history)
http://www.myspace.com/alessisark
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alessi%27s_Ark
http://www.alessisark.com
Over The Hill
Alessi’s Ark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll find a library
I like the bird books best
But you can choose from a variety
And if you shake the book really fierce
Out will fly a note from me
I know we'll get there eventually
I love you
Oh, I love you
We feed ducks in the local park
And eat ice-cream, get all jittery
Not from the sugar in the dessert itself
But from what you do to me
I want us to be sewn together
On a detailed embroidery
So the distance and the water between us
Won't keep you away from me
I love you
Oh, I love you
Well, all the rivers, oceans and lakes
Try to wash you on a shore faraway
And all the miles and the months that we wait
I've packed my suitcase, I'm here to stay
Oh, I will walk across vast miles of sand
To keep wrapped up in your hands
It's just a shame that from the very beginning
You've always been her man
I love you
Oh, I love you
It's just a shame that from the very beginning
You've always been her man
The song “Over The Hill” by Alessi’s Ark is a beautiful ode to love and the lengths that one can go to be with their beloved. The song opens with the singer’s hope that once she and her partner cross the hill, they will find a library where they can browse different books. While the singer has a love for bird books, she is open to exploring other options. The lyrics also speak of the singer’s playful side, as she imagines shaking a book and having a note fly out from between its pages.
The song then transitions to a moment at the local park where the singer and her partner enjoy feeding ducks and eating ice cream. The lyrics take a turn towards the heartfelt as the singer expresses her desire to be physically closer to her partner. She talks about wanting to be sewn together with him, so that the distance and the water between them will not keep them apart.
However, the song ends on a melancholic note as the singer admits that her love is for someone who already belongs to someone else. Despite the pain and obstacles, the singer recognizes that she cannot help loving this person. The lyrics are beautiful and deeply emotional, painting a picture of a relationship that is both playful and intense.
Line by Line Meaning
Once we get over the hill
Once we surpass the difficult period in our life
We'll find a library
We'll discover a vast collection of books and knowledge
I like the bird books best
I have a preference for books that describe birds
But you can choose from a variety
You have the freedom to choose from a diverse range of books
And if you shake the book really fierce
If you handle the book with great energy
Out will fly a note from me
A personal message written by me will fall out
I know we'll get there eventually
I'm confident that we'll reach our destination in due time
But I'm English, so bear with me
But I may need a little more time due to my cultural background
We feed ducks in the local park
We provide food for ducks at the nearby park
And eat ice-cream, get all jittery
And we indulge in ice-cream and become excited
Not from the sugar in the dessert itself
Not due to the sweetness of the dessert
But from what you do to me
But because of the effect you have on me emotionally
I want us to be sewn together
I long for us to be tightly bound together
On a detailed embroidery
Like a work of art created with precise needlework
So the distance and the water between us
So that physical distance and separation won't keep us apart
Won't keep you away from me
Won't prevent us from being together
Well, all the rivers, oceans and lakes
Despite all the natural barriers
Try to wash you on a shore faraway
Attempt to bring you to a distant land
And all the miles and the months that we wait
Despite the long distance and the time we spend apart
I've packed my suitcase, I'm here to stay
I'm fully committed to being with you always
Oh, I will walk across vast miles of sand
I am willing to traverse long distances to be with you
To keep wrapped up in your hands
To remain close to you and held in your embrace
It's just a shame that from the very beginning
It's unfortunate that from the start
You've always been her man
You've always been in a committed relationship with someone else
I love you
I have deep affection for you
Oh, I love you
Oh, how much I love you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALESSI LAURENT-MARKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ericofcrows
lovely unique voice.
Tanner Castillo
I fail to understand why this video has so few views and likes, and why Alessi's Ark has so few subscribers. Needless to say, I'm glad to contribute in anyway I can. This is undoubtedly one of the best songs I've heard in a long while! I know it's not wise to assume, but I have a feeling that the popularity of this song and this band is going to explode exponentially.
Best regards,
-TC
Michael Smith
Love the video.
Karen Ainsworth
Beautiful video, beautiful lady....and many, many cups of tea :-) xxx