Bryan Estepa

Bryan Estepa’s fate as a singer-songwriter was set even before he was old enough to pick up a dusty acoustic. “I can remember my mum and uncles singing and playing Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel tunes when I was young,” says Estepa. “Even at that age of 7, pop music made a whole lot of sense to me.”

A fixture on Sydney’s indie circuit since the mid-‘90s, Estepa’s honed his songwriting in numerous bands, from power-pop upstarts Swivel (1998-2000) to psych-poppers Hazey Jane (2004-2005). It was during a stint working in the States, rediscovering classics by Elliott Smith and Whiskeytown, that Bryan found a renewed love for his acoustic guitar and returned home to branch out on his own. Performing under the alias Adeline, he released the pocket gem “Start Again” in 2003, to positive reviews and regular airplay on Sydney and East Coast US college radio.

His debut album, “All the Bells and Whistles”, began taking shape in late 2005 and was recorded in early 2006 with acclaimed producer Michael Carpenter (Jason Walker & the Last Drinks, City Lights, Youth Group). Featuring special guests Jason Walker and Brian Crouch (Jason Walker & the Last Drinks) and Mick McGinty (ex-Hazey Jane/Cropper), the album is a stunning collection of pop gems glazed in head-nodding hooks and romantic longing, spanning a sonic spectrum that echoes Gram Parson’s lilting alt-country to You Am I’s crunching mod-rockers.

With its warm familiarity and lack of pretence, Estepa’s sound is as refreshingly unassuming as it’s composer. "I don't tend to have any preconceived notions when I write," says Bryan. "In fact, I'm such a lazy songwriter that when inspiration hits, I know well enough to milk it for all it's worth! ….I wear my influences clearly on my sleeve, but I tried to stamp my own distinct signature on each of these tunes."

Bryan Estepa has been described before as "one of Sydney's best kept musical secrets". It's high time you discovered for yourself.