All the Bells and Whistles
CD Reviews
Bryan Estepa has decided to go it alone as a singer songwriter after years of trawling the Sydney circuit in several different bands. Whilst this, his debut album, has a definite alt country lean, he has a knack of infusing some pure pop sensibilities into his music to give it an immediate catchiness. As such all the tracks here are both delightfully listenable and likeable and indeed sound kind of familiar even on first play. By the second or third they will be stuck in your head for days.
Whilst Estepa makes no secret of his influences (think the Neil's Young and Finn jamming with You Am I) he still stamps his own mark on all his work through a natural and unassuming approach. For the most part it's uplifting stuff, as strong melody carries even the most down trodden lyrics. The most blatant alt country inclusion (even in name) Cards and AM Radio is the kind of earnest lament that Ryan Adams would be proud of. Elsewhere songs like the jangly and surely potential single Right Now and the beautifully crafted Open Letter possess an instant poppiness, whilst Western Tale is full of warm west coast harmonies.
Producer Michael Carpenter (Youth Group, The City Lights) has helped to build some rich textures into every track with some carefully placed layers of sound without ever overdoing it. A very confident and assured release in which Estepa's experience shines through to create some captivating songs.
Paul Smith – Drum Media (3/10/06)
Bryan writes pop songs. And plays them with the affection it deserves. For this he should be appreciated. You looking for the future of popular music? Look elsewhere. The past and present of that he knows are good enough. Harmonies, just enough guitars and a couple of hooks that I'm still nodding along to even though the music has stopped. Gonna sell a million? Push whatever Idol happens to have a record out of #1? Nope. And I, and he, and a few others, probably don't care, even if that was justice. Michael carpenter adds his ubiquitous sweet no-nonsense production.
Ross Clelland – Drum Media Single Review (24/10/06)
Sydney's Bryan Estepa continues to show the world how to magic up a canny pop nugget with 'Right Now'. he mixes West Coast-ish shine with something a little more early 90's Australian to create a pop/rock sound that is far more entertaining than most of the hooray-for-everything pop that passes for Aussie power-pop these days.
Clem Bastow 'Right Now' Single Review - Inpress Magazine (2/7/07)
Sydneysider Bryan Estepa has clearly been revelling in his West Coast rock record collection & dreaming of cutting a record with Glyn/Ethan Johns, because 'By The Window' is about as Laurel Canyon as you can get without catching a TARDIS back to 1974 with Don Henley. Your Best Night is a little less sun burnished, but the man knows how to pen a captivating pop tune, that's for sure.
Clem Bastow - 'By The Window' Single Review - Inpress Magazine (13/9/06)
Hooky pop influenced by late 60s and early 70s sounds from both sides of the atlantic, 'All The Bells and Whistles' is the sort of record destined to be criminally overlooked by local audiences. Among others, Estepa canvasses the Beatles, Nick Drake and Gram Parsons as well as contemporary songwriting giants Elliot Smith and Whiskeytown. It's probably a reflection on the poor health of the Sydney music scene that Estepa's is not a better-known name but with indie-pop label Popboomerang behind this release here's hoping his music will reach some new ears. - Scene Online
Here we go again - another high quality pop disc from Australia, another one produced by Michael Carpenter - I tell you these reviews are almost are starting to write themselves. The man with the tunes this time around is Bryan Estepa, and his solo debut All The Bells and Whistles is most definitely worth your acquaintance. Estepa's sound can't quite be pigeonholed. The opener "By The Window" has enough honky tonk in it to pass a possible lost Grateful Dead/Band track, while "Your Best Night" is classic mid-tempo pop, much in the vein of his producer. The real triumph here is the 6-minute pop gem "Western Tale", which betrays a Beach Boys influence but also throws in handclaps, backing female vocals, and that's just the first three minutes. "Come Around" and "Sunshine" are wonderful ballads, and "Cars & AM Radio" and "Room Next to You" are high- quality alt-country tunes.
Steve – Absoloute Powerpop (CD of the Day 26/9/06)
It sounds like I heard this before. Of course, you could say that about a lot of melodic pop records steeped in influences from the '60s and the original power pop era of the early-'70s. It's not always a compliment. A better way to put it in the case of Estepa is that I wish I had heard this before - like for the past 30 years or so. The first two or three songs on this album are nearly perfect. Shimmery, summery, warm and pleasing. "By the Window" is happy and Beatle-y, but with that certain feel that defines Australian power pop -- maybe it's the friendly, effortless vocals. Then "Your Best Night" is an endearing mid-tempo number, with Estepa sounding especially soulful. This definitely has a '70s vibe, maybe because there's a subtle R & B undercurrent. Three other songs are also knocked out of the ballpark. "Cards & AM Radio" takes power pop to the honky tonk, as McCartney meets Uncle Tupelo, or it least it sounds that way. Meanwhile, "Room Next To You" gets started with a horn part that could have been played by Herb Alpert. This is a tender song in the Nilsson/Bacharach tradition. And "Western Tale" is an ambitious track that pays off, with a bit of Jeff Lynne vibe in the chorus. Maybe it's yet another slight trace of R & B underpinning this melodic pop (like the way Electric Light Orchestra and the Bee Gees did it back in the mid-'70s). The song moves into a extended instrumental section, then moves to a slower gait, heading into Hall & Oates territory. This is a six minute song that totally captivates. Estepa is a significant talent, and this record is a keeper.
Mike Bennett - Fufkin.com
Although part of the Sydney indie circuit for the last ten years or so, this is Bryan Estepa's first release and, in the main, it is a very good album. His press release does the usual name-dropping (Whiskeytown, Elliott Smith) and I suppose that's crucial for credibility these days although, in truth, Estepa's songs have a curiously 70's quality to them yet are no worse for it. Despite a patchy start with the mediocre 'By The Window'. Estepa quickly recovers and reels off an unbroken chain of endearing --if somewhat formulaic-- pop songs.
'Your Best Night', 'Western Tale' and 'Sunshine' immediately took me back to the easy hummability of 70's AM radio. Occasionally there is a nagging Halls and Oates quality to some of the songs yet Estepa is so competent and unafraid of being a bit derivative (what pop isn't?) that he pulls it all off flawlessly. There are a few nods to Americana with the occasional touch of pedal steel here and there but the major sound here emanates from vintage power pop, a slightly subdued Raspberries perhaps, all stunningly well-crafted and produced. Why he chose 'By The Window' as his lead track is a mystery to me but the rest of the album is a glorious and catchy celebration of solid, unpretentious pop music in the finest tradition and although much of it will sound overly familiar, it could well be this year's guiltiest pleasure. 7/10
Robin Cracknell - Americana UK
Sydney,Australia's Bryan Estepa has been working in various power pop bands for almost 10 years now down under. The debut under his own name (he previously recorded as Adeline) is a really fine record. Produced by Aussie pop genius Michael Carpenter, it features guests Jason Walker and Bryan Crouch from another Carpenter produced outfit 'Jason Walker & The Last Drinks'. The opening track
"By The Window" sounds like a sprightly Molland-led-Badfinger track and "Your Best Night" could be The Pernice Brothers or Josh Rouse with a Beatley 'oh la la' backing vocal. From there it's straight into Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown alt.country territory,with a couple of rockers thrown in and another closing Pernice-like-mid tempo song. I lean towards wanting to hear anything Michael Carpenter is affiliated with, but this is indeed a very promising debut album by a talented young artist.
Kent H Benjamin - Pop Culture Press Issue 64 -Spring 2007 (USA)
The Former (Bryan Estepa) shines because of its easy going, melodic charm. Estepa's 'Western Tale', with its handclaps and harmonies, is the perfect pop song. But with a twist - it’s rather bizarre mid section breaks the track in half, but its oh so sweet when the Blondie meets the Raspberries chorus returns. sadly for his bank balance at least, Estepa is surely destined to become a much loved, but little known, cult singer-songwriter.
Terry Hermon - Bucketfull of Brains
Bryan Estepa is an Australian singer/songwriter with a rootsy, rock & roll sound that would appeal to fans of Big Star, late period Replacements, Evan dando's later stuff with lemonheads, Joel Plaskett and other power-pop and roots-rock groups. This record sounds great – Estepa has a great voice and he's backed up with rich harmonies by a very talented group of backup singers, as well as bass, drums and guitar and organ with a great laid-back feel. Estepa isn't reinventing the wheel by any stretch of the imagination, but his songs are melodious and well-crafted. The earnest, no-bullshit delivery also contributes to the appeal of this record. Recommended.
Gordon B Isnor - Lefthip Magazine
Aussie artist Bryan Estepa sounds like he's grown up on a healthy dose of The Jayhawks and Uncle Tupelo if "By the Window" is a benchmark. Country-rock is his bread and butter, which nails the opener and the John Mellencamp-meets-Paul Westerberg roots rock flavored "Your Best Night" perfectly.
Estepa also has that summery, California pop in his blood on "Western Tale", sounding like Weezer-lite or The Rembrandts before it takes a soulful, doo-wop dip. Perhaps the first real heart-tugging nugget is the softer, Ryan Adams-ish "Come Around" that Estepa shines on. The same can be said for "Sunshine" that has equal parts Beatles and Travis. Not everything he touches turns to gold however, especially on the rather mundane, sullen "Cards & A.M. Radio". He makes up for it with the sweet mid-tempo, highbrow pop tune "Open Letter" and also with the ambling toe-tapper "Falling Through".
Jason MacNeil - PopMatters
This guy , like a lot of artists on this label, wears his love of The Beatles proudly on his sleeve which would normally elicit a big ol' yawn out of me but the songs on ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES are too good to ignore (or yawn at ) . He cut his chops in Sydney bands like Swivel and Hazey Janes but it was on a trip to the USA that he began rediscovering records by Whiskeytown (who I LOVED ) and Elliott Smith an with that he set out to work on his solo debut with the help of Aussie mainstay Michael Carpenter. The opener "By the Window" has some boogie swagger with its pop hooks while "Your Best Night" is all strummy guitars and tambourines. The spare and tender "Come Around" is easily likeable and shows Estepa's strong vocals while "Right Now" sounds like prime Badfinger and "Open Letter" might be my favorite song on a record full of strong songs. Not sure how big his Australian audience is and while he is completely unknown here, if folks here give this record a chance maybe he won't be "one of Sydney's best kept musical secrets "anymore.
Tim - Dagger Zine
Absolutely I am hooked to the disc of this man, a power-popero of Sydney with certain homing Roots. I discovered "All The Bells And Whistles" (Popboomerang) through wonderful blog of pop of guitars (http://absolutepowerpop.blogspot.com/), and the certain thing is that since has arrived at house I cannot clear it of the reproducer.
Produced by Michael Carpenter, Steppe makes songs like suns. A hair is not cut: Choirs, guitars jingle-jangle, something of country alternative, much of classic influences pop. Then that, of good the best thing.
A long time ago not me played as much of a disc of pop coming from Australia. Very good things arrived, but in different coordinates. Like The Drones, for example, or what hangs of the Beasts of Bourbon maintains the pavilion very high. But bands like Montana, Jericho, the Richies, P76… were well, but they did not finish to me killing. Bryan Estepa has captured me with tunes like "Your best night" and its spectacular agreed changes of or those prototypical choirs but simultaneously so functional. Or with that minions which it takes care of by "Western Tale", six minutes of unequivocal tribute to melodies of Brian Wilson. There are means remarkable times also. A very good disc, that in addition I know is going to let discover many things more to me.
Curiously. in the band is the guitarist Jason Walker, with two good discs of Americana in the curriculum published by Laughing Outlaw. In addition, Walker wrote "God's own to singer", the wonderful biography of Gram Parsons published by Helter Skelter. Another one: Years ago Estepa, under the alias of Adeline, it published a first titled disc "Start Again". It will be necessary to take control of him.
Eduardo Ranedo (Ruta 66 Spain) – Mirolloesellblog (Translated)
In spite of him being present up-around'n'down-under the scene through pop mutants of different kinds (Swivel, Hazey Jane) for some ten years now, this still happens to be my very first encounter with Bryan Estepa. One of the details that kinda rang a bell was the producer's name of Michael Carpenter, whose involvement usually suggests quite a worthwhile thirty-to-fourty minutes, and this turns out to be even better than any of his other knob-twiddling affairs.
With a kind of a live feel to it, similar to the one that Brendan Lynch got on some of Weller's and Ocean Colour Scene's albums, Bryan seems comfortable enough jumping between the more expected upbeat pop stompers such as the Big Star-shine of "Your best night", the Byrds-through-Traveling Wilbury's chime of "Open letter", the almost discobly danceable "Right now", or the Bellybutton-era-Jellyfish reminiscent "Falling through". Through the country roads taken by way of the mentioned Ocean Colour Scene-paying-their-dues-to-the-post-(Small)Faces-Ronnie Lane as heard in "Come around", or the more traditional Gram-mar of "Cards and AM radio", to some one offs, like the Faces-like good time-ish rhythm'n'booze of "By the window", the Bacharachian loungey feel of "Open letter", the hook-laden balladery of "Sunshine", or the pocket symphony which "Western tale" is, in a kind of a "Darlin'/Don't worry baby"-through-Jeff-Lynne way.
Being described as "one of Sydney's best kept musical secrets", to me, it's exactly what Bryan Estepa turns out to be.
Goran Obradovic / POPISM radio show; www.popism-music.com
This is new from Australia's ultra reliable POPBOOMERANG label! Produced by Michael Carpenter, his stellar talents at making everything sound great are all over this disc. Fans of CROWDED HOUSE you need this record!!! Also fans of BEACH BOYS circa "I can hear music" will love the sound! Those longing for straight forward honest to goodness pure pop are going to love this! This cd is outstanding!
Jeremy - Jam Records
Far from the predictable three chord, predictable pop that one hears often in a local venue, this debut solo release from Mr. Estepa represents a songwriter approaching the peak of maturity. There is more than enough variation to satisfy the ears of even the most voracious consumer of pop here – from the Faces style stomp of "By the Window", the breezy Beach Boys harmonies of "Western Tale" through to the killer pop chorus in "Sunshine". Country stylings get a workout on "Cards & AM Radio", and every flavour of pop seeps its way into the remaining tracks. Melody lines are constructed with thought and care – they sink their hooks in deeply and twist where you mightn't expect (I've been humming "Sunshine" for days now), and have a complexity that stops them getting boring. For any fans of classic pop that traverses past and present decades, give this a try – you won't be disappointed.
Liam McCoy – Not Lame Recordings
