“I Built It Myself” is the second acoustic folk single released on the 1st of November from Nicholas Rowe’s upcoming album, The Circle Remains Unbroken.
The Circle Remains Unbroken is Rowe’s fourth studio release, recorded at the National Audio Preservation Society studio and headquarters by Nicholas Rowe, Jonathan Hape, and Jeremiah Wagner, with additional electric guitar by Thom Daugherty.
The song’s production sounds unfiltered, which is appropriate for a song about self-love.
The acoustic guitar and electric guitar, along with Rowe’s voice sound full and lush, given room by the subdued rhythm and percussion section, and the shaker gives the track enough bounce to make it upbeat.
Nicholas Rowe claims that he is a “narcissist crippled with self-doubt,” which I find hard to believe, listening to his single about self-loving dedication, but I understand where his feelings are coming from. After all, what decent artist hasn’t suffered self-doubt?
“I couldn’t find true love, so I built it myself”
I immediately felt hope from the very first lyric of the song. It reminded me that love isn’t something we can just go around hoping to find, but it is our responsibility to build and work for.
“I wrote the blueprints down for everything in my poems and my songs”
This line makes me wonder if the song is about Rowe’s love for his music, but through browsing Rowe’s Instagram posts and photos, I think it could also be about family.
“You might say I’m lucky. You wouldn’t be wrong,
but it takes more than luck to build a love this strong.”
Nicholas Rowe affirms his gratitude for his circumstance, but he also acknowledges his own effort in building and maintaining love. Once again, Rowe comes across as the complete opposite of a self-doubting narcissist. He seems like a gentle soul.
I Built It Myself is a peaceful, self-affirmed song about love and dedication; an ode to all the love we’ve built ourselves.