I Am Kloot

Endearingly scuffed, potently poignant tales of love, lager and long, dark nights of the soul from this Mercury-nominated Manchester trio, who are beginning to enjoy some of the success they've long deserved. Frontman Johnny Bramwell has a voice of heart-crushing tenderness as well as a nice line in wry onstage banter, and over their last couple of albums the band have demonstrated a fuller, more complex and rounder sound that should strike a chord with fans of Richard Hawley.