Sydney songwriter Bryan Estepa has released a bunch of albums that just get better and better, culminating in this year’s brilliant Heart Vs Mind (review) which bursts with glorious harmonies built on classic power pop and slight detours into americana and yacht rock. It shows a musician who isn’t afraid to play to his strengths and channel all the musical influences that have to date made up his own personal style. We asked Bryan to give us an insight into his musical past via our regular Sonic Kicks feature…

 

• The first album I bought – Bon Jovi | Slippery When Wet

Yep.

 

• The album that soundtracked a relationship – Bob Evans | Suburban Songbook

This album pretty much summed up my relationship with my wife at the time the album came out. It was almost as if Bob was saying everything I wanted to say to her but haven’t had the chance to to.

 

• The album that inspired me to form a band – You Am I | Hi Fi Way

You Am I was one of the most important and influential bands during my formative band years. Seeing Tim & co live was a revelation and this album was the icing on the cake. I LOVE this band and still my fave Australian band. Ever.

 

• The album that reminds me of my high school years – Weezer | Blue Album, Pearl Jam | Vitalogy  & Oasis | Definitely Maybe

Hard to split these three albums amongst all the other ‘grunge’ & mid 90’s albums that I loved at the time. Each had it’s own impact on me but most of all made me want to be in a band and just jam. No matter how shit I was then.

 

• The album I’d love to hear live and played in full – The Jayhawks | The Sound of Lies & Rainy Day Music

Those two played in their glorious entirety and back to back. Heaven man.

 

• My favourite album cover art – The Byrds | Sweetheart of The Rodeo

Not my fave but I really love the cover for Sweetheart of The Rodeo. I even have a t-shirt of it.

 

• My guilty pleasure album – Metallica | Black album

I’m not sure if its a guilty pleasure but I just  love singing along to it and playing better air drums than Lars.

 

• An album I loved but now have no idea why I bought it – Jars of Clay | Much Afraid

I really loved this album when it came out. I don’t really like it now.

 

• The last album you bought – Dawes | Stories Don’t End

These guys just took it up another notch with this brilliant album. On high rotation since I got it.

 

Bryan Estepa’s Heart vs Mind is out now via Laughing Outlaw Records, digitally and on vinyl.