Somehow I Am Kloot have always remained on the periphery of ‘commercial’ success; smouldering like a dormant volcano waiting to erupt. But, intentionally or not, ‘Let It All In’ is the game changer.
With Guy Garvey and Craig Potter on board as co-producers once more, Kloot’s eighth album has a touch more polish than, say, the 2010 Mercury Prize nominated ‘Sky At Night’. And although Garvey’s influence is inevitable, I Am Kloot are definitely not clinging onto Elbow’s coattails.
Indeed, their recently elevated status is the product of fourteen years of hard graft, moulding themselves into an impermeable, galvanised body. Of course, an Elbow patronage and a sprinkle of fortunate timing added to the recipe won’t do any harm, but it is the group’s innate musical relationship that has resulted in an album that plays to their collective strengths and influences.
John Bramwell’s high calibre writing is still carved across each song, but the album’s soundscape is sculpted by a collaborative group process, fleshing out the skeletal frame. Consequently, ‘Let It All In’ is perhaps I Am Kloot’s most eclectic album to date; the performances more refined, more intuitive, the lyrics more introspective and the production brimming with startling surprises.
‘Bullets’ is the perfect example. A straight Kinks-inspired burlesque melody, descending bass riff and simile-riddled lyrics, “You treat your mind like a cheap hotel; somewhere you can stay but never stop”, but the masterstroke comes in the shape of Jobson’s blistering guitar solo. Its angular contours leaning toward Marc Ribot’s experimental flourishes as Hargreaves steps from a laid back groove to a pounding ‘Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite’ striptease thump.
‘Hold Back The Night’ meanwhile threads its anxiety-riddled lyric through a semi-naked arrangement that explodes halfway through with a burst of full throttle strings in unison that threaten to engulf the mix. The effect is overwhelming, falling somewhere between Nina Simone’s ‘I Put A Spell On You’ and Serge Gainsbourg’s ‘Histoire de Melody Nelson’.
Of course there are contemplative moments too, both the title track and ‘Shoeless’ for instance are given space in which to breathe, highlighting their fragility. The latter is a poignant note to Bramwell’s daughter – reminding her, “Don’t let the clouds clutter up your sky”, and recalls Kristian Matsson with a twist of Lennon’s ‘Beautiful Boy’. It’s one of the most touching songs in the Kloot canon and emphasises a real maturity in the songwriting.
The Beatles influence is also felt elsewhere. ‘Masquerade’ has hallmarks of Harrison at his most melodic and is a close cousin to his solo ‘Dark Sweet Lady’. ‘Some Better Day’ meanwhile is McCartney through and through, with its bouncing major chords and tune that should come with a warning for infectiousness.
But it is with ‘These Days Are Mine’ that Garvey and Potter flex their production muscles to full capacity. Their fingerprints are everywhere; it’s like CSI Elbow. Sporting a ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ drone, the chassis is adorned with swooping stings, whirring brass and a chorus of voices. It signals a new direction for I Am Kloot and reveals a desire to experiment and broaden their sound palette.
For newcomers to I Am Kloot, ‘Let It All In’ is the perfect starting point; an album that seesaws between a gentle breeze of tranquility, orchestral turbulence and back again.
I Am Kloot have consistently produced quality albums throughout their career, but with their latest they have created their first masterpiece.
