Their début single, 'To You', on Ugly Man Records was produced by and featured backing vocals by Guy Garvey, lead singer of Еlbow.
Début album Natural History was released in March 2001 on Wall of Sound offshoot We Love You. It was followed by the self-titled I Am Kloot in September 2003 on the Echo label. In their early years I Am Kloot were regarded by many as an example of the 'quiet is the new loud' trend in indie rock, as they gained prominence in the same years as, for example, Turin Brakes and Norway's Kings of Convenience. I Am Kloot, however mostly acoustic, were definitely not always 'quiet', if only because of Bramwell's rough singing and Hargreaves' often powerful drumming.
The third 'Kloot' LP, Gods and Monsters, was released in April 2005. The band subsequently announced their departure from the label, citing reasons such as a lack of financial support and the cancellation of singles at short notice. The band released a compilation of radio sessions, BBC Radio 1 John Peel Sessions in October 2006, a collection of two Peel Sessions and other rarities.
Their fourth album, I Am Kloot Play Moolah Rouge, was released in April 2008. Once again a compilation album followed in its slipstream, this time 2009's collection of B-sides, rare recordings, sessions, and previously unreleased material, entitled B.
Following the somewhat disappointing sales of the 'Moolah Rouge' album, I Am Kloot had Elbow's Guy Garvey and Craig Potter produce their next studio album, which turned out to be a majestic return to form. Sky at Night (released July 2010) was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and charted at #24 in the U.K. album charts.
I Am Kloot were back on the map. 2013's Let It All In became their highest charting album in the U.K. (#10), but would turn out to be their final studio LP together. There would be two more releases (a soundtrack album called From There to Here in 2014, and a 2015 live album entitled Hold Back the Night: I Am Kloot Live) before John Bramwell announced (in late 2017) that the group had quietly split up a year or so earlier.
"There was no heavy break-up or anything," Bramwell said. "I just wanted to do something else. I'll never say never to getting back together but I was in I Am Kloot most of my adult life, but just as you can go to a great place on holiday year after year, sooner or later you want to go to somewhere else."
Life in a Day
I Am Kloot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fleet of foot
Full of grace
Love, mercy miles
Freedom fortune, such a filthy child
Life in a day
Life in a day
Stick your jokes, your hoax in a box
Chew the chains, loose the locks
Lease your mind and find a better rate
If freedom feels like a first mistake
Life in a day
Life in a day
Life in a day
See you hoof and move your feet of clay
Let it go you know, or let it break
Freedom feels like a first mistake
Life in a day
Life in a day
(You got your education) x3
The opening lines of I Am Kloot's song "Life in a Day" communicate a sense of motion and fluidity. "Fleet of foot," "full of grace," and "love, mercy miles" all contribute to a general feeling of momentum and progress. These qualities are contrasted with the image of a "filthy child," suggesting that this forward motion is not without challenges and difficulties.
The following lines suggest a sense of disillusionment with the traditional avenues of success and progress: "Stick your jokes, your hoax in a box / Chew the chains, loose the locks / Lease your mind and find a better rate." The implication is that conventional wisdom and societal expectations may not be sufficient to lead us to where we want to go.
The repeated refrain of "Life in a day" underscores a sense of transience and impermanence, suggesting that whatever struggles and successes we experience are ultimately fleeting. The final line, "You got your education," offers a final note of ambiguity, suggesting that even education--often thought of as a solid foundation--may not be enough to get us through the uncertainties of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Life in a day
Living in the present moment, taking life as it comes
Fleet of foot
Able to move quickly and nimbly
Full of grace
Elegant and poised in demeanor
Love, mercy miles
Travelling with the power of love and mercy
Freedom fortune, such a filthy child
The pursuit of freedom and fortune can be messy and unpredictable
Stick your jokes, your hoax in a box
Don't let others bring you down with their lies and deceit
Chew the chains, loose the locks
Break free from the restraints that hold you back
Lease your mind and find a better rate
Clear your mind and find a more positive outlook on life
If freedom feels like a first mistake
If the pursuit of freedom leads to negative consequences
Life in a day
Reiterating the importance of living in the present moment
See you hoof and move your feet of clay
Witnessing someone walking with heavy footsteps, indicating their weariness or burden
Let it go you know, or let it break
Release the negative thoughts and emotions that weigh you down, otherwise they will eventually lead to a breakdown
Life in a day
Repeating the central theme of living in the present
(You got your education) x3
Potentially poking fun at the idea of needing an education to truly understand and appreciate the complexities of life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Andrew Hargreaves, John Bramwell, Peter Jobson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Insatiable Pondering One
It swaggers! Great track
Oded Fried-Gaon
you are a great band! oh man the video is so disturbing, and fits the music perfectly. tnx!
Oliver W. Holmes
Quality could be Better Great Video!
Matthew Turner
Hydes finest.
Jeremy Walton
@smightar Stick to the point, the comments are meant to be for this video. Ignore the spammers and just flag them. Hopefully the page owner will delete them Nice music! :) ♫♪ ♭♪
I Am Kloot
it is official, fake surveillance footage.
MasterFu
Sounds like a john lennon song....
L3dtube
lolwut