I Am Kloot

I Am Kloot

I Am Kloot are an English band formed in Manchester, in 1999 by John Bramwell (guitar/vocals), Peter Jobson (bass) and Andy Hargreaves (drums).

History

The band released their debut album, Natural History, in the UK in March 2001 on the Wall of Sound offshoot 'We Love You', followed by the I Am Kloot album in September 2003, on the Echo imprint.

Echo had originally planned to release "Proof" as a single to promote the second album, but after agreeing on artwork and a track listing (and commissioning a video featuring Christopher Eccleston, directed by Krishna Stott), the label shelved these ideas and subsequently issued the single as a download only (though a few copies were issued in Europe on the PIAS imprint). This action is commonly seen as the start of the dispute that would subsequently see the band leave the label.

The band remained with Echo for their third LP, Gods and Monsters (2005), but left the label citing a lack of financial support after another planned single, "I Believe", was cancelled at short notice. Later that year they issued a limited edition single entitled "Maybe I Should" on November 21, following some of their biggest headlining gigs in the UK, culminating in a show at the London Astoria.

In April 2006 "Only Role in Town", was made available for free download to their fanbase, followed by the release of an album of John Peel session tracks in October 2006, recorded over two sessions in 2001 and 2004.

I Am Kloot's fourth studio album, I Am Kloot Play Moolah Rouge, was available at gigs in November 2007 as a limited edition of 2000 copies, before going on general release on 14 April 2008.

In October 2009, they released a double album compilation of B-sides, rarities and unreleased songs collected under the title of B.

I Am Kloot's next studio album, Sky at Night, was released on 5 July 2010 through Shepherd Moon Records. The album was produced by Craig Potter and Guy Garvey from Elbow.

The Sky at Night album was shortlisted for the 2010 Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize.

Discography

Albums

• Natural History (2001, #119 UK)
• I Am Kloot (2003, #68 UK)
• Gods and Monsters (2005, #74 UK)
• BBC Radio 1 John Peel Sessions (2006)
• I Am Kloot Play Moolah Rouge (2007, #74 NL)
• B (2009)
• Sky at Night (2010, #24 UK, #51 NL, #59 AUT)

Singles

From Natural History

• "To You"/"Titanic" (1999, only 1000 vinyl copies released) Ugly Man
• "Twist"/"86 TV's" (2000, double A-side on CD and red vinyl) Ugly Man
• "Dark Star" (2001, #90 UK, CD and vinyl)
• "Morning Rain" (2001, #94 UK, CD and vinyl)

From I Am Kloot

• "Untitled #1" (2003, #101 UK, limited edition vinyl)
• "Life in a Day" (2003, #43 UK, 2x CD and vinyl)
• "3 Feet Tall" (2003, #46 UK, 2x CD and vinyl)
• "From Your Favourite Sky" (2004, numbered CD and download)

From Gods and Monsters

• "Over My Shoulder" (2005, #38 UK, CD and 2x vinyl)

Non-album Single

• "Maybe I Should" (2005, #128 UK, limited CD, vinyl and download)
• "Avenue of Hope" (2007 - Sunshine Movie Soundtrack)

From Sky at Night

• "Northern Skies/Lately" (2010, digital single)
• "Proof" (2010, digital single)

Musicians

Band members

• John Harold Arnold Bramwell: Songwriter, vocals, guitars.
• Peter Jobson: Bass, Slide Guitar, backing vocals, Piano, Organ.
• Andy Hargreaves: drums, percussion, Glockenspiel.

Contributing musicians

• Guy Garvey: Producer, Engineer, Backing vocals, Percussion, Sound effects, Harmonica, Guacamole, wine glasses
• Mel Wesson: Programming
• Tony Gilfellon: Additional guitar
• Bob Sastry: French horn
• Isabelle Dunn: Cello
• Amanda Drummond: Viola
• Stella Page, Prabjote Osahn: Violin
• Robert Marsh: Trumpet
• Norman McLeod: Pedal steel guitar
• Colin McLeod: Producer
• Craig Potter: Producer

Additional live performers

• Norman McLeod: Pedal steel guitar, Electric guitar
• Colin McLeod: keyboards
• Bob Sastry: French horn
• Guy Garvey: Extra Vocals
• Robert Marsh: Trumpet
• Scott Alexander: Electric guitar played with an ebow

Music press

• "Of the bands Manchester has spawned recently (Doves, Elbow), the warm and spiky Kloot pack the most clout, despite being the smallest. The big-sounding little trio make the everyday epic and the epic human, smuggling chip-shop cheek into songs of dark wit, grainy texture and often startling emotional power. As dark as they can get, too, their live shows are often joyous, communal affairs, goaded on by the dry wit of frontman Johnny Bramwell." Taken from The Independent newspaper in Britain as one of the 50 best arts events of the autumn 2005.

• "Lyrically, the record's great. Explicit and honest and a master of metaphor, Bramwell is, in his own way, as fine a wordsmith as Morrissey or Stuart Murdoch. There are oddly poetic phrases here, shrouded in a multiplicity of possible meanings, that will nag at you forever. "There's blood on your legs", presses Bramwell in 'Twist'. "I love you". The album's pinnacle, 'Because', suggests this lyrical obscurity is essential. Strip the obscure, imagistic couplets from this meditative, rolling-ocean ballad and it'd be nothing. They help form a mystical, rapturous, staggering declaration of love. And a fitting end to an album that, while not flawless, will stir you into a rare, joyous fervour." An extract of a review in the NME for the debut album Natural History. NME went on to rate the album 8/10.

• "The band's move away from their acoustic sound has given extra depth to their songs and an added dimension to their live performance. Live, they've always been about Bramwell's charisma but the new direction now highlights Peter Jobson and Andy Hargreaves' essential contributions. The new album had only been out for three weeks prior to this gig, but such is Bramwell's ability with a tune that they all sounded like old favourites - 3 Feet Tall and Not A Reasonable Man sitting perfectly well alongside 86 TV's and Because. But it wasn't until the second half that the band let rip, belting out an aptly brooding version of Storm Warning, a lovelorn To You, and a heart-stirringly beautiful Proof. I Am Kloot have been on the brink of greatness for a good while now - if they carry on like this it should be assured." Taken from a BBC review of I Am Kloot playing at The Shepherd's Bush Empire, London 2003.

• "If wishes were horses then beggars would ride, and if critical plaudits were album sales I Am Kloot would be pulled along in carriages made of gold records that would make the Queen literally sh*t with envy. Really special." Time Out

Quotes

• "It's only in the context of the bleakness and the quite filthy passion at the core of us, that when we present something that naïve and that simple that it really gets its charm and finds its beauty." - John Bramwell
• "There’s a bit of schadenfreude in our stuff, black humour. I hope it gives a feeling of wanting to embrace life, to carry on life, that life is a great thing, and that love is a great thing. It’s just that it comes with some baggage. I feel that we’re optimistic." - John Bramwell (2005)

External links

• I Am Kloot official web site

Source material

• I Am Kloot favouritesky – discography
• BBC review
• NME album review