Charlie Edwards aka I’ve Tried Sleeping is a singer/songwriter/guitarist and multi-dimensional artist from Spokane in Washington and Some Kind Of Mother is his latest single released on 07/10/2022. It is from his self-titled album also released in 2022.

The track is a mixture of alternative, indie and classic rock with a touch of 80’s inspired rock thrown in for good measure.

Charlie’s vocals are haunting, soft and gentle yet slightly husky and gritty to give a certain rawness to the track, which is full of emotion and feeling.

The track, itself, is a salute to those who struggle with issues that plague us under the surface and as mental health issues are very prevalent in today’s society, many people will be able to connect with the lyrics. Three words are repeated many times throughout the track and these words, Don’t Give Up, are the three words that stand out to me!

There are funky bass lines in this track, and these are cleverly mixed with classic rock guitars and electronic riffs and keyboards. The drumming is rhythmic, and this gives the track a certain bounce to it.

There is also a profound change of pace part way through and there is always something new and fresh to hear at any point during the song.

I really liked this track and the theme of it hit home hard to me and I am sure it will to a lot of people.

This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum

Sarantos is a… and I quote… “DIY international award-winning solo music artist, top 5 iTunes UK charting singer songwriter, #1 iTunes South Africa charting folk and country artist, proud nerd, multi-instrumentalist, book author, comic book nut, radio show host, poet and part time spy!”

Oh…and he’s also an “alien who landed here to infect the human race and spread the disease of music!”

Ok, so he’s probably not an alien but he is an incredibly good musician and spreading the disease of music is ALWAYS a good thing in my opinion.

With soft, melodic, gentle vocals he is back up by multi-layering and this gives the track a haunting, poignant vibe that is full of emotion. He combines the use of clear, singing vocals with an almost rap/talking style that is really effective, almost as if he is having a conversation with himself.

The soft drumming is evident in the background and keeps the timing of the track perfectly. The guitar work and percussion side of things are not too over the top as, in my opinion, the lyrics and vocals on the track are the main focus point.

This is an indie /alternative rock track with a little bit of a difference and the classic 80’s/90’s sound has been given a modern twist.

I really liked this track. Its soft and mellow yet with a rawness to it that really gets you in the gut.

Superb track!

This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum

Country music is not usually my thing, but I am always willing to give anything a go and when this track from Cris Mantello came up for review, I really wanted to do it.

Cris is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer with his musical roots firmly in American music and 1950’s/1960’s country music and Hard Times is his latest single, released on 28/10/2022.

Starting off with that distinctive twang of a country rock guitar, this is alternative country with a dash of good ol’ rock n roll thrown in. This track “represents an important musical shift” for Cris “from an artistic point of view” as he has taken new paths with the arrangement and production processes.

This is a really catchy track and I challenge anyone not to have a little boogie when the guitar solo hits part way through the track. The swinging guitar work and powerful drum beats along with very impressive vocals (complete with the country rock drawl) make this the impressive track that it is.

With a theme of losing one’s self esteem and self-confidence, many people can resonate with the lyrics and relate to the song, and this will make the track appeal to more than just country music lovers.

But please, don’t just take my word for it! Give the track a listen, you might just be very pleasantly surprised!

The review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum