Turin Brakes are a modern folk pop duo comprising two friends Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian, hailing from Balham, London, signed to Cooking Vinyl. Turin Brakes have often been compared to many of the New Acoustic Movement's bands spawned in the late 90's such as Elbow, Starsailor, I Am Kloot (who were a support band for Turin Brakes on their Ether Song tour) and the Norwegian band the Kings of Convenience. Their debut album "The Optimist LP" (2001) was nominated for the Mercury Prize that same year.