I Am Kloot – B Album
Ten years since they first formed, Manchester’s most underappreciated band (now that Elbow have hit the big time) mark their anniversary with this collection of B-sides, rarities and unreleased songs. Spread over two CDs, these 28 tracks not previously seen fit for a proper release may be an intimidating prospect for anyone other than a die-hard Kloot fan.
Fortunately, the quality of what’s on offer seems more suited to a ‘best of’ than some collection of cast-offs only desired by Kloot completists. Keeping mainly on the acousitc side of indie, tracks like ’Junk Culture’ and ’Fat Kids In Photographs’ are warm and welcoming takes on the little things in life that can mean so much. Things do get dark though, with ’This House Is Haunted’ a fitting release for Halloween – discordant and vengeful, and another side the band are just as comfortable in.
28 tracks is a trawl though for any compilation though, especially when the second CD throws in the occasional oddity – ’Dogs Howl’ does not lie about its content. One at time though, these are two parts to an undeservedly rarely heard side of an undeservedly rarely heard of band.
7.0./10
