In a musical generation where mediocre bands are forgiven for having a cool myspace page, I Am Kloot have, so far, taken a relatively dormant ride through the industry. Their latest attempt to pierce the bubble of disinterest comes in the form of “I Am Kloot Play Moolah Rouge”, a ten track long player that will undeniably slip under the radar.
The one time trio have almost doubled in numbers since 2005’s “Gods and Monsters”, and the augmentation of extra guitar, pianos and organs ease naturally into an already impressive sound. Opener 'One Man Brawl' is the clearest indication of this; singer Johnny Bramwell sneers his way through the sharp, snarling rocker. It’s an ideal start to proceedings, however the lasting effect is soon chopped down to size with the delicate ‘Chaperoned’. An effortless beauty of a song, tip toeing round anything remotely harmful before ascending into a melee of rousing euphony. Impressive start.
There’s no sign of it letting up with the layered sombreness of ‘Ferris Wheels’, and painstaking emotional sentiments of ‘Down At The Front’. The album hints towards a sudden added dynamism within the direction of the band – whether that’s reliant on the literal growth of the group or not will become apparent in future releases, nevertheless it’s a noticeable progression. The mystique remains rooted as usual despite what is essentially a more polished production ('Suddenly Strange' being the only track teetering on the raw).
Formidably authentic in its lyrics, this record is genuine and charming. It refuses to lay anything more on the table than what it has, it shows its hand and it does it with eloquence. It’s probably not the strongest set of tracks you’ll hear this year, but it could be the most honest. For a band reaching their fourth studio album, I Am Kloot create a satisfying mix of consistency and innovation. The furthered sound on “...Play Moolah Rouge’ lands in a dangerously artificial time for pop music, but there’s no facades here.
Best new band in Glasgow, by a mile!
...Any more snooker cliches?
...Second track sounds like a more snarly mid-60s Who. Excellent.
...First one sounds like Sean Ryder having a flashback but second track is a killer.
...once you've drunk a bottle of Maker's Mark in Copehagen?
...The more I watch it, the more I like it.
...Sex on Fire is good once you've drunk a bottle of Maker's Mark in Copenhagen
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Have you forgotten the way to your lover’s heart? It’s through their stomach you idiot. I should know – I’m massively overweight, but I am also a great lover.
It’s not some pretentious swanky leafy shit box of a...
SINGLE OF THE WEEK:
NOISETTES
SCRATCH YOUR NAME
(UNIVERSAL)
One of the very few reasons to still believe in indie music, Noisettes provide yet another thrilling single on the back of their debut album, ‘What’s...
The last few months have been pretty crazy for us in OSA, here are some shots from our adventures.
They’re not chronological or anything like that, but they cover pretty much everything we’ve been up to. Enjoy.
Lawrence,
OSA
Excellent slice of full on old school rock from The Binges. Recommended by our readers, it's now a firm favourite in the artrocker.com office.
...
I love this tune. Like Jason Lowenstein fronting The Thermals covering Sweet Jane, with Steve Albini at the controls. In their blurb, they state "we play with passion, and that's...
Awesome Make Up / Blues Explosion / Funkadelic style rock n roll soul from Birmingham's best kept secret. Recorded at Matt Verta Ray's NY Hed Studios, this tune has pedigree...
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