Hotel Mira Perfectionism Interview with Charlie Kerr + 5 Quick Questions

Vancouver’s Hotel Mira continue pushing the boundaries of indie rock with their latest release, Perfectionism. The third release from the band is catchy as fuck, but it’s also so much more than that. The album was produced by Juno and Grammy Award-winning producer Eric Ratz, and was released on Valentine’s Day. It has eleven tracks, and it’s a “play it all the way through, without skipping a track,” offering.

The band has been through line up changes, a name change, and a progression in their sound. Today’s lineup includes Charlie and fellow band members, Clark Grieve on keys, Mike Noble on bass, Cole George on drums, and Colton Lauro on lead guitar. Kerr’s lyrics are ferociously honest, and at times, the sometimes, light indie-pop-rock sound hides very dark and haunting lyrics.

Fans got their first taste of the album in the fall of 2018 with the single, Jungle. Kerr’s vocals are delicious, “I can’t wait to lose it, cause everyone cool is a headcase. Are you into me?” Followed by the chorus vocals, “She says you’re handsome but you shouldn’t move to Hollywood,” and “Come over and wreck my heart,” we’re set to want to know the rest of the story. The album flows like a story, and when talking with Charlie he told me how this album wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t fallen in love.

“The long and short of it is like me falling in love, for real, for the first time, inspired. So much of that album happened because it just changed my life and my perspectives so profoundly that even the things that don’t seem to be about love, are.” “It’s a love record in my opinion. It’s kind of a bit of a breakup record, and a love record but also it’s definitely me exploring lyrically.”

Perfectionism was recorded over seventeen, twelve-hour days in a Vancouver studio. They took the time to give everyone the chance to experiment as much as possible, and Eric Ratz had an amazing ear, and incredible touch for knowing where a song should go. Fortunately, the band was able to get out and play the music live for fans before the pandemic shut down live venues. Charlie commented that there was something so reassuring about playing in a club, packed to the gills with people, with so much passion on their faces, singing these things back to him. The record contains lyrics about things that he wasn’t so sure he should be sharing. As a songwriter, he worried that he might be exposing too much of a very private relationship, but he wanted to be honest about the experience. I think when you get involved with a songwriter, it’s a risk you take on. Talking with Charlie about falling in love was a breath of fresh air. Although the relationship ended, he’s grateful for the experience. Our conversation made me remember falling in love for the first time, and then having my heart broken in a million pieces.

Hotel Mira – Jungle

This Could Be It For Me, is one of the most diametrically opposed tracks on the album. The song immediately sucks you in, and by the time Hotel Mira hit the chorus if you’re not physically moving, you’re dancing in your head. It’s cheerful sounding, it makes want dance, it’s super radio-friendly, and yet, if you listen to the words, it’s mournful and despondent. The “la la la la’s” get in your head and stay with you. The video directed by Zachary Vague and Sterling Larose is beautiful, and the song serves to deliver a message. Charlie isn’t one to shy away from mental health discussions, and this song helps make the subject approachable and relatable.

“This song is a battle cry for help. It is a song about voicing your anxious, paranoid and suicidal thoughts and then drawing the sad conclusion that even if you make it through this chapter, you’re gonna have to go toe-to-toe with all this bullshit again sometime soon [If it’s not tonight, then it’s still on my mind… how nice]. But what makes it a battle cry and not a full wall-to-wall downer is that I am asking if anyone else feels this way and that has, in my past, been my best strategy for feeling less alone in the world.”

Hotel Mira – This Could Be It For Me

Sometimes, the internet is a bleak place, and sometimes, it’s the exact opposite. I present for you, MJC DANCE from South Korea. This post appeared on the Hotel Mira Facebook page last week, and Charlie said when it was brought to their attention, “I felt ready to retire when I saw that.” Touching people is the point, and clearly, the song is resonating with people around the world.

This Could Be It For Me – Hotel Mira / MJC DANCE / Choreo

The latest video from the band is Speaking Off the Record is a lyric video. I asked Charlie about the thoughts behind the video, and he said this, “We kind of had zero budget. Yeah, we were like okay, we know that if we do a really cool performance video, or something really simple and direct, that we can make work. Directed by Zachary Vague and Sterling Larose, the lyric video drives home the message of the song. It was Zach’s favourite song on the album. This is also Kerr’s favourite song, but he said it took a lot out of him, and he was afraid to release it. Fans have responded positively to the track, embracing the honesty and vulnerability.

Hotel Mira – Speaking Off the Record

When I asked Charlie, what’s the best way that fans can support the band during this strange time, he replied “Buying the record and buying merchandise is really helpful. Just kind of streaming stuff on Spotify and telling your friends about it. There are lots of places in North America where our song is being played on the radio. So if you want to request it or tell people about us, that’d be great. But I truly believe that word of mouth, has spanned farther than most things. The populace is discovering us. If you have friends who like rock music, and you think they might connect to my sad bastard, tell them about us.”

What are the things he misses the most? Working on new material and jamming with the band.

While I had Charlie, I talked him into doing a round of 5 Quick Questions for us. Check out the video to find out what album he can listen to on repeat, his dream stage, dream collaborations, something you might not know about him, and of course, who he thinks you should be listening to.

5 Quick Questions with Hotel Mira

Hotel Mira’s Links

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Trish Cassling

Writer/Photographer/Editor

Toronto Music Blogger