Playlouder - Music is the Network

“If you haven’t heard this yet, it’s something really worth investigating’ Steve Lamacq

‘Building Blocks’ is the debut release from Broadcast 2000, aka Devon born multi instrumentalist Joe Steer. On it he combines cello, double bass, guitar, ukulele, glockenspiel, banjo and percussion with his own layered vocals to mesmerising effect. Written, recorded, mixed and mastered in Joe's north London flat, ‘Building Blocks’ is a warm-hearted, beautiful collection of pop gems in the tradition of early Paul Simon.
From the fleet footed Viennese waltz of ‘Run’, to the forward turned optimism of ‘Don’t Weight Me Down’ and the twisted rhythm of ‘Get Up and Go’, which currently accompanies the Eon ad, this mini album is the perfect soundtrack to the summer. 

The songs have a quirky charm highlighted by Steer's striking tenor voice, which has been compared to Sufjan Stevens and Chris Martin and by the beautiful arrangements and harmonies. Steer never intended to sing the songs himself. “I started writing the Broadcast 2000 songs always thinking I'd just down some vocals as a guide, then get a proper singer to sing them once I was happy with the tune", he explains. "I did a degree in music which involved things like composing for demodulated traffic noise, to be performed using multi-speaker 'diffusion' around a concert hall, as well as playing in the university orchestra and doing all the classical music theory stuff." Friends who heard the demos encouraged him to take over the vocal reigns himself.

Steer's rural origin also had a huge impact on his musical development: "Growing up the middle of Devon means you have little else that could possibly occupy your time apart from music. No football teams to support, no high street/shopping centre to hang around in. In fact the majority of my school buddies were in bands."  When playing live, Steer is joined by collaborators Chris Banner of up and coming band Lady and the Lost Boys and Tom Andrews, who are mainly employed "for their haircuts actually. They are very young, 18/19 and I feel like their weird old uncle."

Having already secured slots as Steve Lamacq’s Band Of The Week and 6 Music’s Newcomer Of The Week as well as an MTV Spanking New Session, the future looks very bright indeed for Broadcast 2000.
Live dates:

15 Jul 2008     Bath PORTER CELLAR BAR
26 Jul 2008     London WILMINGTON ARMS with The Molotovs
27 Jul 2008     London TWO FLOORS with Yoav and Sparkadia
10 Aug 2008     London THE TRINITY BAR with Bombay Bicycle Club
21 Aug 2008     London LOCK TAVERN

www.broadcast2000.co.uk
www.myspace.com/broadcast2000
www.groenland.com