Charles Maring
Savannah, Georgia, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2010 | SELF
Music
Press
“Savannah Sky” at first begins with ominous and atmospheric low tones, which quickly bubble over into a bright and cool sounding song. It has a very slick and slow-moving vibe, creating a sense of being in a dream surrounded by beautiful dark colors. It’s wonderful how hazy “Savannah Sky” is. Everything blends perfectly creating a unique and absorbing soundscape. There is a strong sense of storytelling here as well, it truly feels like a journey from start to finish.
Lyrically, Charles Maring is writing about the feeling and energy of Savannah, Georgia. He beautifully captures Savannah with poetic prowess, almost making the city seem like a real human being. A city often can have a presence in our lives much like a person can, and Charles Maring expresses this in his lyrics. “Her and I, in the Tybee Island light, falling in love again, that smile on her face, the crash of those waves, and those, haunting eyes.” He also sings praise for the city of Savannah, reflecting on how it has a unique energy that can only be understood if you’re there yourself. “There’s something about this place, heaven giving way, the alluring Savannah sky.”
The instrumentation of “Savannah Sky” cultivates an organic and natural feeling, like something directly pulled from nature. The percussion plays a simple but integral beat, giving the song it’s slow-moving forward motion. The shaker adds a soft but bright texture to the percussion, sitting comfortably in the middle of the mix. Lots of short guitar flourishes are tastefully decorated throughout the arrangement, creating rhythmic and textural variety.
On top o this unique soundscape is Charles Maring’s vocals which have a really nice drawn-out quality. His voice is mixed with just the right amount of lreverb, blending the vocals with the instrumentation. “Savannah Sky” is an ethereal and moving love note to a beautiful city that you are sure to love. - Please Pass the Indie
“Give You Strength” by Charles Maring is an emotive story bound to touch the hearts of all listeners. Illustrating the hardships of quarantine, as well as the community that came of it, Maring has created a relatable, era-specific song.
“Give You Strength” opens with a stirring arrangement of guitars, one acoustic finger-picking an expressive pattern while an electric serenades with impassioned riffs. Poignant strings rise gently underneath the guitars, coloring the delicate notes with warmth and swells of vivid chords. This array of complimentary instrumentals set the tone of “Give You Strength”, with notes of both hopefulness and grief.
“We may lose everything we’ve ever known
But at least we’re warm and safe…”
The chorus blossoms with a newfound sense of determination as compelling drums layer on, adding an element of grit to the reflective tone of “Give You Strength”. Straying from its gentle fingerpicking pattern, the acoustic guitar transitions into an impassioned strum, adding even more rhythmic accentuation to the chorus. Maring’s voice echoes this shift of attitude, with a surge of fervor in his melodic adaptations in the new section.
“Give You Strength” also acts as a time capsule, capturing an unforgettable era in music. In the way that we associate “Ohio” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young or “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield with the Vietnam War Era, this song represents a significant time in both American and international history. Maring’s detailed lyrics depict the hardships of quarantine and the COVID-19 pandemic, and can help listeners generations from now understand the trials of this time:
“They say the war we’re in ain’t over
Stay home and keep your family safe
And if you’re fighting on the front lines
We tip our hats and give you thanks”
“Give You Strength” is an expressive story told through a delicately colorful arrangement. Combining poignant guitars and strings with a heart wrenchingly relatable depiction of the COVID-19 pandemic, Maring has created a timeless picture of this moment in our history. - Please Pass the Indie
Discography
"Epopee" 2022
Photos
Bio
Hailing from Savannah, GA Charles Maring is a full time artist and songwriter with an Americana sound releasing music worldwide. Charles plays covers from across the decades weaving together the classic sounds of legendary folk, country, reggae, and classic rock artists into his sets accompanied by some of his own storytelling songs that take listeners on all kinds of lyrical journeys. Blending acoustic guitar, loops, electric leads, harmonica, and vocals together Maring is a one man band with performances that keep listeners amazed and entertained.
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