I Am Kloot was a band formed in Manchester, United Kingdom. Active from 199… Read Full Bio ↴I Am Kloot was a band formed in Manchester, United Kingdom. Active from 1999 to 2016, the band's line-up remained unchanged: John Bramwell (guitar/vocals), Peter Jobson (bass) and Andy Hargreaves (drums).

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."

Masquerade
I Am Kloot Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I never thought I ll be the one to leave you so all alone
But ... that I found that I m bound to be still bound for home
No matter entrance of my days
My distance into ...
My final masquerade, is slipping away
Was I the one who took the shirt off your back
The shine off your shoes
Well never think you d have to find me for that

You ve nothing to loose
And even though I read the game

You can have ... in the shame
Don t look at me
So we could have a flux around the ... of life
You went a borrowed money from a poltergeist
I never thought I ll be the one to leave you so all alone
But ... that I found that I m bound to be still bound for home
No matter entrance of my days

My distance into ...
My final masquerade, is slipping away.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Masquerade" by I Am Kloot are deeply reflective, touching on themes of regret and loneliness. The opening lines suggest that the singer never intended to leave their partner alone, but something has caused them to realize they must return to their true home. The lines "No matter entrance of my days / My distance into..." suggest that the singer has been on a long journey, but ultimately, their true home is where their heart is. They describe this journey as a "masquerade," which is slipping away as they come to terms with their true feelings.

The middle section of the song is somewhat ambiguous, but it seems to describe a situation where the singer has let someone down or caused them shame. They ask the listener not to look at them, indicating that they are ashamed of their actions. Perhaps they made a mistake in a relationship, or failed to live up to someone's expectations in some way. They suggest that they could "have a flux around the ... of life," perhaps meaning that they could try to make things right or find a way to move on.

The final lines of the song bring the themes of regret and loneliness full circle. The singer repeats that they never thought they would leave their partner alone, but something has forced them to realize that they must return to their true home. They describe their journey as a "final masquerade," which is slipping away. This suggests that they are shedding some sort of false or protective identity and revealing their true, vulnerable self.

Line by Line Meaning

I never thought I'll be the one to leave you so all alone
I never expected to abandon you and leave you by yourself

But ... that I found that I m bound to be still bound for home
But now I realize that I am destined to return home

No matter entrance of my days
Regardless of how my days start

My distance into ...
No matter how far I go

My final masquerade, is slipping away
My ultimate facade is slowly vanishing

Was I the one who took the shirt off your back
Did I cause you to lose everything you had

The shine off your shoes
Did I make you look less presentable

Well never think you'd have to find me for that
Don't bother trying to seek revenge against me

You ve nothing to loose
You have nothing to gain by seeking revenge against me

And even though I read the game
Despite knowing what was going on

You can have ... in the shame
You can revel in making me feel ashamed

Don't look at me
Don't judge me or hold me responsible

So we could have a flux around the ... of life
We could have a peaceful and harmonious existence

You went a borrowed money from a poltergeist
You resorted to desperate measures to get money

Writer(s): Peter Alexander Jobson, John Harold Arnold Bramwell, Andrew Peter Hargreaves

Contributed by Isabelle B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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