Artist: Broadcast 2000
Album: Broadcast 2000
Labe:l Groenland records
15.02.2010
Broadcast 2000 is the brainchild of bedroom musician Joe Steer and a host of talented friends. The result is anything but Lo-Fi, thanks to production by Eliot James (Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs). Steer’s wish was for the album to “sound like it was recorded in my bedroom, but this time as if I’ve crammed a whole orchaestra in there” and that’s as good a summation as any for this eponymous debut.
Opener Rouse Your Bones is a Noah and the Whale (Tom ‘Fiddle’ Hoben is one of the album’s players)/ Mumford & Sons/Fanfarlo esque song with layered hamormonies. A sweeping crescendo chorus and twinkly glockenspiel set the tone for the orchaestral folk pop of the rest of the album.
Joe Steer’s vocals are pure and more pop than some of his indie-folk contemporaries. On Your Own Worst Enemy he sounds like Matt Hales of the much underrated 90s band Ruth (later of the 45s and now more recently Aqualung) but I digress. I reckon it’s a shoo- in for the soundtrack to Skins, perhaps one of the introspective moments after some neon-clad hi-jinks, or something.
By now you have probably heard Get Up and Go on the E-energy ad advert; it’s honey-sweet and just perfect for cosy nights in. For me the highlight is joyous, country pop ode to trying that is Gonna build a Mountain where Joe Steer sings ” I don’t know how I’m gonna do it but I’m gonna try” – a cheerful reminder that it’s good to believe that anything is possible, even if pesky reality suggests otherwise.
Overall, it’s a great debut and while it doesn’t necessarily move mountains, it should put a little Spring-time into your day.