LA-based four-piece, Hotel Mira, have released their latest single ‘Waste Away’, which sees the band tackling the heaviest of subjects…
Who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned ‘Battle of the Bands’? I remember entering Battle of the Bands in school, and it’s so much fun; it’s a bit of healthy competition among music lovers, if nothing else! But if you’re Charlie Kerr and Mike Noble, Battle of the Bands represents something greater… the birthplace of a fantastic project.
Charlie and Mike met as teenagers at their local Battle of the Bands, and both admired each other’s musical projects, so much so that they started their own band. With the additions of Clark Grieve and Cole George you’ve got yourself Hotel Mira, an alt-pop quartet who are a serious force to be reckoned with.
‘Waste Away’ is the LA-based foursome’s latest single, and it’s a dazzling one at that. It’s a concise no-nonsense pop song, with lashings of melodrama and sprinklings of festival grandeur.
‘Waste Away’ saunters forward with delicious pulsing 80s synth, an equally 80s beat and subtle guitars which elegantly unfurl. Among the dainty guitars, courtesy of Clark, frontman Charlie finds the necessary space to inject his sharp indie hooks. This is what separates Hotel Mira from their alt-pop peers, Hotel Mira create intoxicating soundscapes but never compromise on their songwriting craft.
Put simply… the chorus is a delight. Everything from the sumptuous “woos” to the indie yelps (“So let me know or let me go”) to the undulating guitars fit together like one big beautiful glam-bop jigsaw – it just works. A lot of the time, you hear bands who TRY to craft festival-sized choruses, whereas Hotel Mira do it effortlessly.
I’ve already mentioned the “lashings of melodrama” in ‘Waste Away’, and there’s very good reason for this – ‘Waste Away’, for all its dazzling sonic displays, tackles a very heavy subject. On the lyrics, Charlie said: “Waste Away tells the story of Domestic abuse. The tendency to Blame oneself. The confusion and backwards way we justify abusive behaviour… It is a love letter to the courage and resilience of survivors. Myself and close friends included.”
So then, ‘Waste Away’ is not just an alt pop cut that’s full of arena-sized hooks, slick musicianship, and finesse, but it’s equally a masterful display of storytelling. Charlie can juxtapose the ugliness of human nature with Hotel Mira’s ravishing sonic palate, and it’s a joy to behold.
Having already supported artists like Billy Talent, Fizzy Blood, The Beaches and Frank Lero (My Chemical Romance), not to mention their recent run of shows at SXSW, Hotel Mira are laser focused on reaching as many eyes and ears as possible – and long may it continue.
Check out Hotel Mira’s new single, ‘Waste Away’, below:
