Ballyfermot’s Declan O’Rourke charts a life between Ireland and Australia on new album

“The title ‘Oceanic’ is a loose banner for a collection of songs that draw on memories of a life spent moving between Ireland and Australia,” explains Ballyfermot-born Declan O’Rourke.

The acclaimed singer-songwriter recently shared ‘Earl Grey and Edwin’, the final single ahead of forthcoming studio album ‘Oceanic’.

To celebrate the release of the album, Declan is embarking on an Irish tour with ten concerts across October and November.
A “tender reflection” on the friendships that leave a lasting impression, ‘Earl Grey and Edwin’ considers how connections can continue to shape people, even when life takes them in different directions.

From a first shared cup of tea that O’Rourke initially mistook for having soap in it to being encouraged to grow his fingernails so he could play guitar, the song is filled with small, vivid memories of a friendship that endured across distance.

The ‘Oceanic’ album has a wide range of themes, from the death of a childhood friend, the love of family, to human trafficking, and the “decimation of species across our planet”.

Declan laughs and is quick to reassure that while the album does contain mature themes, “there are some bangers too”.

In a full circle moment, ‘Oceanic’ was recorded fully in Sydney, where Declan first started recording songs twenty-five years previously.

He describes working with Jim Moginie and the players he assembled for the album as a “dream”, remarking that “if you surround yourself with good people in the studio, and if you feel ready with the material, it’s bound to be a wonderful experience.”

Regarding the singles released for ‘Oceanic’, Declan describes ‘Echo’ as a “cracker”, being a good lead single for its “upbeat accessibility”.

‘For Free’ was a more “tender” second single, while ‘Earl Grey And Edwin’ has the “most interesting back story”.

The combination of being a stay-at-home parent and not having a deadline proved to be challenging, as it took Declan almost nineteen months to finish the album after recording first started.

While he reflects he probably had too much time to think (at one point completely changing the cover idea), he tried to embrace the idea that a “longer fermentation” would produce a “more interesting result” regardless.

Declan would like to thank Jim Moginie, his manager, his family, the players, and the studio engineer for helping to make this album possible.

He concludes by declaring he is excited for the tour: “I’m getting withdrawal symptoms from the creative end, so this will be a cure.”

Declan’s singles are currently available to listen to on all streaming platforms, with ‘Oceanic’ releasing on these platforms on October 16.

He will be performing in Vicar Street as part of his nationwide tour on October 17.

For more information and tickets, visit HERE.