Bankes Brothers with Vox Rea

The Bankes Brothers

The Bankes Brothers are about to light up Canada’s indie-rock scene and ignite audiences everywhere. Since the release of their debut single “In Waves” in February 2023 the band has garnered acclaim and recognition across Canada and beyond – regularly showing in the top 5 on Canadian commercial radio’s alternative charts and seeing constant support on Sirius XM’s The Verge for the past year. Alongside their first single, releases like “Things I’ll Never Learn” and “See Me Run” have seen similar praise – a sentiment the band felt intimately during their first cross-Canada tour last summer supporting modern blues troubadour Jesse Roper. 

The Victoria, BC four-piece—brothers Nelson and Morgan Bankes on vocals and guitar, lead guitarist Carson Cleaver, and drummer Gray Oxley—formed in a pool hall one Friday night in 2017. Less than a week later, they played their first gig. Delivering a dynamic set list ranging from Otis Redding to Talking Heads, the former high school classmates were overwhelmed by an undeniable musical chemistry. 

Now with the imminent release of the full EP “In Waves” on March 1st, 2024 – and the highly anticipated release of the final track “Walkin” – all eyes return to The Bankes Brothers for what promises to be another banner year for one Canada’s rising stars in contemporary rock and roll, set to embark on a whirlwind tour of the UK alongside Red Rum Club.  

The honest simplicity of Bankes’ lyrics leaves space for the energetic melodies to pick us up and sweep us away, again and again and again. The EP’s title track just begs to be belted out, whether driving in your car or locked arm-in-arm with your best friend at one of the band’s electric live shows. A common theme running throughout In Waves is the universal coming-of-age moment when one is about to break free from the confines of childhood and step—or run—into the next phase of life. The debut begins and ends with The Bankes Brothers on the move— “Walkin’” and “See Me Run”—a fitting reflection of a band that is about to hit its stride.

The EP can best be described as a six-track shot of dopamine spilling over with irresistibly catchy melodies, exhilarating vocals, and joyous indie-rock instrumentation. Produced and recorded by indie legend Steve Bays (Hot Hot Heat, The Zolas, Mounties), the EP is the culmination of the band’s wide-ranging influences–from Elvis to The Strokes, Paul Simon to The Pixies—coming together in a way that defies sonic parallels, yet remains welcomingly familiar. The first release has the pretty grittiness of The Lumineers, the free-wheeling energy of the late-aughts indie bands, and the powerhouse belting of blues-rock contemporaries like Marcus King. Yet the sum of these parts is something fresh, exciting, and uniquely vibrant within the current sea of sleepy vocals and sedated guitar tones. The Bankes Brothers sound like the youthful high of a late-night romance and the blissful stagger home the next morning.

Vox Rea

Vox Rea features Kate Kurdyak (lead vocals/piano/guitar/violin) and Lauren Kurdyak (vocals/piano/percussion). Citing influences that range from Florence and the Machine to Friedrich Nietzsche, the sibling-duo draws inspiration from a mix of nostalgia for times past and life in a modern day world in turmoil. Vox Rea focuses on art as an experience as opposed to a product and their shows are an exercise in presence, communion and deep listening. Themes of addiction, self-doubt, lust, identity, independence and grief form the undercurrent of lyrics that are deeply introspective. Hell bent on creating a meaningful life amidst the siren songs of consumerism and efficiency, Vox Rea believes in the revolutionary power of art.

Since the release of their first single “Dose Me Up” in 2020, Vox Rea has been featured on playlists including New Music Friday, Indie All Stars, Fresh Finds, and Ultimate Indie and media outlets like Vice, MTV, and BBC Radio 6. Their single “Damn (Unstuck)” was featured on the cover of Folk & Friends and made Spotify’s Top Folk Songs of 2021. Vox Rea has played in music festivals across North America and Europe including SXSW, Reeperbahn, Treefort Music Fest, Tallinn Music Week, Rifflandia and Capitol Hill Block Party. 

With new music on the horizon alongside more international tours including showcases at The Great Escape, New Colossus Festival and FOCUS Wales, 2024 looks to be a promising year for Vox Rea.