I Am Kloot

I Am Kloot are an English rock band from Manchester, United Kingdom. The group forms in 1999 and has an unchanged line-up of John Bramwell on guitar and vocals, Peter Jobson on bass, and Andy Hargreaves on drums. Their music sits within indie rock and indie folk, and their early recordings place them within the period often described as “quiet is the new loud” in indie rock, alongside acts such as Turin Brakes and Kings of Convenience.

Early releases and label history

The band’s first single is To You, released on Ugly Man Records. It is produced by Guy Garvey, the lead singer of Elbow, who also provides backing vocals on the track. Garvey goes on to produce the band’s debut album, Natural History, which appears in 2001 on We Love You, the Wall of Sound offshoot label. The self-titled I Am Kloot follows in 2003 on Echo.

The band later leaves its record label, citing a lack of financial support and the cancellation of singles at short notice. A compilation of BBC sessions, BBC Radio 1 John Peel Sessions, appears in 2006 and gathers two Peel Sessions and other rarities. In 2008 the band releases I Am Kloot Play Moolah Rouge, followed by the 2009 collection B, which brings together B-sides, rare recordings, sessions and previously unreleased material.

Later albums and recognition

For the next studio album, the band works again with Elbow members Guy Garvey and Craig Potter. Sky at Night appears in 2010, is shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, and reaches number 24 in the UK albums chart. Let It All In follows in 2013 and becomes the band’s highest-charting album in the UK, reaching number 10.

The final studio release is From There to Here in 2014, a soundtrack album, and this is followed by the live album Hold Back the Night: I Am Kloot Live in 2015. John Bramwell later says the band has already split quietly, and the group is still described as having an unchanged core line-up throughout its run.

Line-up and style

John Bramwell’s rough singing and Andy Hargreaves’ often forceful drumming give the band a sound that is not wholly subdued, even though much of its work is acoustic in character. The group remains associated with indie rock from the Manchester scene and is also identified with indie folk.