I Am Kloot – 'Let It All In' album review

I Am Kloot – 'Let It All In'

• Rated as: 4/5

For over a decade, I Am Kloot has been a band on the brink of brilliance. The Manchester trio's 2010 album 'Sky At Night' made a persuasive dent with its Mercury Prize nomination, but 'Let It All In' might manage the breakthrough. The seasoned alt-indie group have retained all of the grit and dark allure of their previous albums, but they've never before sounded so ambitious or diverse. The influence of producers Guy Garvey and Craig Potter of Elbow is obvious on the bursting, festival-ready chorus of 'These Days Are Mine', while on other tracks the album wanders between creepy rhythms ('Hold Back the Night') and gentle acoustic lullabies ('Shoeless'). Streetwise songsmith John Bramwell steers us through tales of romantic regret and faded youth with his smart and subtle storytelling. Listening to I Am Kloot feels like chatting to the last man left at the bar – buy him a drink and you might just discover he's a wise, witty genius.