Declan O’Rourke Returns With New Album, ‘Arrivals’
Declan O’Rourke, the award-winning Irish singer-songwriter returns after two years with a new album., Arrivals.
Produced by Paul Weller, the album was recorded over six days at Black Barn Studios in Surrey. The sound of the new album is stripped back, with O’Rourke’s soulful voice and famous virtuosic guitar-playing front and centre, with the occasional sparse arrangement of strings and drums, across the album’s 11 tracks.
Paul Weller also adds his musical talents to the record, most notably with his beautiful piano accompaniment on the closing track. According to O’Rourke, Weller was, “there every moment, before, during and long after, discussing ideas about this and that, even down to the artwork. It was hugely impressive…”
Watch an exclusive interview clip with Declan and Paul Weller below.
Declan O’Rourke made his debut with 2004’s Since Kyabram and, his forthcoming album, Arrivals will be his seventh studio record, and his first on eastwest records. The Galway-based artist’s skills as a songwriter have been praised by perfectionists such as the late John Prine, and James Taylor. His songs have been covered by fellow artists, most notably his classic 2004 song Galileo, which has been recorded by Eddi Reader and Josh Groban, among others.
Rourke’s last album Chronicles Of The Great Irish Famine, documented rare first-hand accounts from that devastating period of Irish history and garnered numerous awards.
Speaking about his new album Arrivals, O’Rourke says, “I recently played Arrivals to a cousin of mine; she used to come and see me all the time in the early days when I’d play – just me and the guitar – at open mic nights. This album, she said, led her to feel that in many ways people were going to hear me for the first time. That made a lot of sense to me.”
He also revealed that his latest record will be a perfect balance of personal and political, noting “We all feel very strongly about various aspects of what is happening in the world right now, and I don’t know if I ever managed to speak my mind well about them before. I am fascinated by the past, either in a nostalgic way or through seeing how history has unfolded and what has been revealed. These times are so engaging, compelling, however, that I’ve been pulled into the present. It just happened and I’m glad I let it through.”
The album will be released on 5th February 2021. Fans can join Declan on his official YouTube channel at 8pm GMT on 16th October to watch the video for his new single, The Harbour. Declan O’Rourke will also be answering questions in the comments box.
Limited edition signed CD and vinyl copies of Arrivals can be pre-ordered from the Dig! store here.