Hotel Mira: Ginger Ale

By Kerry Doole

Hotel Mira - "Ginger Ale" (Light Organ Records): Charlie Kerr made a splash as leader of Vancouver garage rockers JPNSGRLS, and he has now launched new project Hotel Mira with former bandmate guitarist Colton Lauro and bassist Mike Noble. An eponymous debut EP has just come out, and it's a winner, full of catchy and well-crafted tunes.

In a label press release, Kerr described it this way: "The EP is meant to bridge the gap musically between the older project to what is now Hotel Mira. So it meant exploring a lot of different sounds and styles we never had before while still embracing the chaotic elements we became known for. Lyrically, for me, it ends up feeling more like a folk album in a rock and roll costume, playing with the duality of pure bravado and emotional privacy. The themes touched on in this album range from sex, love, trauma and abandonment to the harsh modern realities of being alive in these bizarre, unsettling times and the intersection where those meet."

One of the focus tracks, "Ginger Ale" is every bit as refreshing as its namesake, and we're guessing it goes well with rye too. The gently frisky guitars get a little wilder as the song progresses, and the catchy hooks make this very radio-friendly. Producer Dave Schiffman (Vampire Weekend, Haim) keeps the sound clean and snappy.

Those into the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Tokyo Police Club should take a swig.

Hotel Mira plays Vancouver's Rickshaw Theatre on Sept. 8.
 

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Publicity: Matt Carson, Auteur Research