Track Review: I Wish That I Could Sing It For You // Nicholas Rowe
Indie-folk singer-songwriter Nicholas Rowe proclaims that he “began as a rocker but became obsessed with folk songwriting after hearing Bob Dylan’s 1975 masterpiece Blood On The Tracks…” – from then on it was all about folk. Compared to artists like Wilco and Jason Isbell, the US-based artist merges intimacy, vulnerability and brooding sonic mastery in his unique style. Described by Turn Up The Volume as an experience of beauty “all performed with a striking voice”, Nicholas Rowe can melt your heart with one note. The latest addition to his discography is the single ‘I Wish That I Could Sing It For You’.
Nicholas first garnered praise in 2017 with his EP Everything Has Beauty – a collection of songs about dealing with difficult life truths, and his music continues to peruse life in its entirety. With each song, he branches out in an eclectic manner but retains an indie-folk sound that is purely Nicholas Rowe. In ‘I Wish That I Could Sing It For You’, Nicholas once again brings the intimacy of Bob Dylan into his intriguing sound.
Interestingly enough, while old-school folk music reigns in the track, Nicholas continues to add a contemporary edginess to the retro (but not so retro) melody. A harmonic combination of guitars, drums and gruff vocals, ‘I Wish That I Could Sing It For You’ is brash; however, a soothing gentleness flows through the gritty melody. The melody can hold its own, but I have to note Nicholas Rowe’s vocals as one of the more attention-grabbing elements. The rough tones weave through a bold, rich vocal execution creating something that is smooth but also presents a palpable grittiness.
Overall, I rather like the song. I’m not the biggest fan of Bob Dylan or Mumford and Sons (both sounds reminiscent in ‘I Wish That I Could Sing It For You’), but Nicholas Rowe can easily turn my ears to indie-folk meets rock music. ‘I Wish That I Could Sing It For You’ is the first single from his upcoming album The Circle Remains Unbroken, and I can’t wait for its release.
This artist was found on Musosoup #sustainablecurator