EP Review: The Vaniers – Who Are You To Say?

Toronto’s The Vaniers call themselves alt-rockers but there’s something a bit more mainstream about this sprightly debut EP that hints at subtlety and depth, and that this is going to be a band that is difficult to pin down in any particular scene or genre. Their PR cites The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys as touchpoints and inspiration, but on the evidence of this EP, they have traded much of the edge that those bands bring in favour of a more polished and considered approach to their guitar-based pop rock.

There is plenty of musicality and depth in these five songs, and a sense that this is a very tight unit – former high school classmates Diego Paz on bass guitar and vox, Alex Iacobellis on guitar, and Nick Donato on drums. The EP showcases the depth of impressive songwriting arsenal this band has at its disposal. It’s a very accomplished debut.

Musically, there’s a strong summer vibe, particular in the current single On The Regular, which is a jaunty, jingly-jangly breeze. You can hear The Strokes‘ influence here and this is a fine single in any sense. Hot Nights is a deeper, bass-driven rock grind that pulses and twists. There’s a whiff of Kings Of Leon about Tidal Wave and Wild, particularly the latter. The EP closes with the dreamy Somewhere In Between that manages to meld that warm summer feel with a sense of melancholy.

Written over one intense weekend, the EP was eventually captured at Inception Sound Studios with producer Brandon Pero. “The mix, however, took months as we were extremely particular about how we wanted the EP to sound,” Paz says. That attention to detail has paid dividends. This is an EP that is full of musical invention and detail that sounds fantastic and lean.

Top track is the driving, mid-tempo Wild that manages to sound epic and sparse at the same time. That’s quite a trick. Subtle dynamics make this simple track very effective and one that will stick with you. All in all, a very impressive debut and a taste of a diverse approach that will surely result in some memorable recordings in years to come.

The Vaniers‘ Who Are You To Say? EP and the single On The Regular are available now via Apple Music, Spotify and SoundCloud.