HOTEL MIRA KEEPS THE FUN GOING WITH NEW ‘AFTER PARTY’ EP
Hotel Mira, a Canadian alternative band, is continuing their mission to bring sleaze back to the stage. Well known for their highly interactive live shows, quirky personalities, and dramatic lyrics, they’ve been touring the US and Canada for the PITY PARTY TOUR, named for their fourth album. Now, partway into the tour, they’ve released the sequel, After Party, an upbeat five-song EP that follows along with the trials and tribulations of love and heartache. Written between touring and traveling, and lead singer Charlie Kerr shooting a movie, each song feels like listening to your friend recap a night out that ended delightfully bittersweet. A perfect selection for people who love artists like Franz Ferdinand, The Wrecks, and Black Pontiac.
Upon debuting the album, Charlie shared his thoughts on the new release, saying, “These are the sounds of people who don’t want to go home to reality just yet. Still inclined to play in and with the shadows a bit before the ugly lights come on.”
The EP opens with “Rise and Shine”, which is light with a small amount of synth highlighting the instrumentals. It begins with a sudden burst of energy, and the entire band chimes in for vocals. The bridge has Mike Noble bringing in a very beachy tempo overlaid by Charlie’s high notes and some breathy vocalizations. Lyrically, the song really sets up the vibe for the EP. It’s all about chasing sensation and not paying attention to anything but what’s next.
My personal favorite is “My Back’s Against the Wall”. It opens with some fantastic deep bass, and Clark Grieve’s funky guitar playing gives the song a retro ’70s twist, making it upbeat and fun. The dash of Charlie’s deeper tone provides the usual sultry energy that Hotel Mira puts in their music. The lyrics seem to recount the collapse of an on-again/off-again relationship, leaving you wondering if there’s actually love there or if it’s just a fear of being alone.
“Don’t Break My Heart” is the most dramatic of the songs on the EP. Between the heavy drum beat Cole George provides and Charlie’s harshest vocals, it’s a punchy crescendo. The pleading lyrics for things not to end, hitting with devastating emotion. Lamenting a hollow kind of victory that comes with getting everything you think you wanted. Despite the lyrics being a full-on meltdown, the song itself is extremely uptempo. It’s full of synth, cutting guitar riffs, and thrumming bass. There’s a wicked guitar solo that closes out the track, echoing into nothingness.
PHOTO CREDIT: Fiona Garden
Things return to their initial beachy sound with “The Ocean”. The isolated sections for each instrument, including vocals, give everyone a chance to shine. Everything seems to echo in a dreamlike way as the tempo ebbs and flows. The band croons the lyrics, creating a major shift in energy. In true Hotel Mira fashion, there’s also a bit of self-deprecation in the lyrics, mocking some failure in “performance”. The lyrics are also skillfully contradictory, claiming to be like the ocean and breaking down, while also being like the ocean and standing unbroken. It’s a fantastic combination of clever and silly.
The EP ends on “RE: Valentines Day” where the lights have come up and reality hits full force. The guitar riffs are dizzying and give way to cymbal-heavy drums. The vocals are delivered with a self-loathing kind of dryness and desperation. The sections where things quiet down are followed by near-immediate peaks of energy. It’s an anti-capitalist rant all wrapped up in dejected nihilism. Glimpses of fizzled-out hookups and relationships that are being chased to fill the void. It’s a rather dark take on love, with the ending being “so save me, from everyone who hates me, and you can have my body, are you cool with that?”
Hotel Mira are masters of creating anthems for the brokenhearted. Wrapping their despondent lyrics in flashing lights and catchy rhythms, they make pity look pretty. Offering sex appeal and a bit of coquettish teasing between every bad fall into love. After Party makes for a satisfying continuation of the story painted in Pity Party, with its shift from loving life under the spotlight to falling apart backstage.