Peabody are now five albums deep in a career that has seen them become a stalwart of the Sydney indie rock scene over the last 24 years. Their latest, A Redder Shade Of Rust (produced by Jamie Hutchings) finds them in fine form yet again. It’s heady, poetic and a really great balance of melody, rhythm, momentum and knotty guitars. It’s dark and churning one minute, on songs such as ‘Perfectly Fine’, before hitting a spirited punk sprint on ‘Prosthetic Heart’. Elsewhere, ‘Sometimes’ is a murky tumble through post-punk shadows and ‘Too Many Days’ heads to the desert with a Morricone twang and an exquisite chorus.

Singer and guitarist Bruno Brayovic kindly took the time to take a swing through our Sonic Kicks: Albums That Shaped Me Q&A and talks G’N’R, Ween and buying cassettes in Ashfield Mall.

The first album I bought.

The Divinyls  – What a Life

I bought this on cassette (which I still have) at a small record shop next to Franklins supermarket in Ashfield Mall, when I was in Year 5. I’d seen an ad for it on TV which included snippets of Good Die Young and of course, Pleasure and Pain. I was mesmerised, and if I’m honest, probably quite excited by Chrissy Amphlett. I still am.

An album that soundtracked a relationship.

The blue album by Weezer was a a favourite of mine and my first girlfriend. I wore Buddy Holly glasses but I’m pretty sure neither of us knew what Mary Tyler Moore looked like.

An album that inspired me to form a band.

It’s a cliche but Nirvana’s Nevermind really solidified my resolve to write songs and perform them with a band (we’d already performed live at school in some capacity). The simplicity of the songs and Kurt’s vocal approach both appealed to me because they both seemed achievable. I was wrong.

An album that reminds me of my high school years.

Guns N Roses – Appetite For Destruction

I’d gone overseas with my parents so I managed to get it before it came out in Australia. I taped it for heaps of my friends so I was popular for about two weeks. It’s still the very copy I listen to when I whack it on the record player.

An album you’d love to hear live and played in full.

I thought Kell’s (from Singing Skies) suggestion of John Cale’s Paris 1919 was awesome. I’d love to hear that. But if I have to choose something different I think I’ll say Ween’s Chocolate & Cheese.

My favourite album cover art.

So many to choose from. Hard to go past Midnight Oil’s Red Sails in the Sunset.

A guilty pleasure album.

The Traveling Wilburys self-titled debut album. Is this cool again, or is it still daggy? I dunno, but I do know there are some killer songs on it. Some of Bob Dylan’s best songwriting moments are on here, too, including ‘Tweeter & the Monkey Man’, which George Harrison said was actually largely written by Tom Petty. Each song is better than the last, with the exception of ‘End of the Line’ which is still passable.

The last album I bought.

A vinyl reissue of Paul Kelly’s Post.

The next album I want to buy.

Piss-Up by local punk band C.O.F.F.I.N. The vinyl is sold out but I’ve been streaming it like crazy. Anyone wanna sell me a copy? Will drop pants for food… or album. These guys are insane live.