Declan O'Rourke
Encyclopedia
Declan O'Rourke is a 33 year old platinum record singer/songwriter from Dublin, Ireland
.
The album's launch took place over three sold-out nights in Whelan’s of Wexford St, Dublin and was broadcast live on national radio. It entered the official Irish album charts at Number 5 and was the only new Irish entry in the Top 75 album chart that week. Since Kyabram quickly went gold, then achieved double-platinum status. Since the release of the album, O'Rourke has completed multiple sell-out nationwide Irish tours, the second of these culminating in a full capacity show in Dublin's Olympia Theatre
in March 2005.
O'Rourke has been among the few solo performers selected to appear on both the second and third TV series of Other Voices. O'Rourke tracks were included on the #1 selling compilations Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 2
and Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 3
in aid of The National Children's Hospital in Tallaght
and Tsunami
Relief Fund.
O'Rourke performed at the first Irish Woodstock in Inistioge
, Kilkenny
. He has played guitar on stage with Bic Runga
on her European tour, Snow Patrol
on the UK and Irish legs of their 2006 tour, including performances at Wembley Arena and their sold-out December performance at the old Point Theatre in Dublin. O'Rourke opened multiple shows for Planxty
during the come-back concerts at Vicar Street, Dublin. He performed on the same bill as Bob Dylan
for three consecutive shows while playing guitar with Paddy Casey
. O'Rourke played guitar for Snow Patrol
during their Oxegen Festival performance in Ireland in July 2007. Snow Patrol's lead singer, Gary Lightbody
, gave a very positive review of O'Rourke's second album, a preview copy of which, he revealed, the band had been listening to backstage.
O'Rourke attracted praise from Paul Weller
for his song Galileo (Someone Like You) which he cited in an interview with Q Magazine as the song he most wished he'd written from the past twenty years; he later included O'Rourke's recording of the song on an album of his favourite songs included with a special edition of the magazine dedicated to him. Weller
invited O'Rourke to perform at the 100 Club
in London. And, on his recent mini-residency at the Olympia Theatre
, Dublin, Weller
invited O'Rourke on stage as a special guest to perform a duet of Galileo. Other notable fans of O'Rourke are Rolling Stones guitarist, Ronnie Wood, Chris Rea
, and Paul Brady
who describes O'Rourke as a "most talented singer-songwriter... [possessing] a rich, soulful, musical voice and a brilliant instrumental ability". Eddi Reader
once said that he was "one of the finest songwriters on the planet".
In October 2007 Declan released his second album, Big Bad Beautiful World after performing selected tracks on Irish radio. Big Bad Beautiful World beat its forerunner by debuting at number 4 in the Irish charts, but unlike Since Kyabram it was released in Ireland alone. O'Rourke released two singles from the album, the title track 'Big Bad Beautiful World' and 'Whatever Else Happens', both of which are performance standards for him. Following the album release, O'Rourke was nominated for Best Irish Male at the 2008 Meteor Ireland Awards. O'Rourke completed limited tours of South-Eastern Australia in 2008 and 2009, finishing the latter tour with a sold-out performance at Sydney's The Basement venue, which was filmed for later broadcast by ABC Australia.
In October 2010, O'Rourke was invited to open shows for American singer-songwriter John Prine
in Virginia
. Since 2006, in addition to Prine and Snow Patrol
, O'Rourke has completed tours with Paulo Nutini, Paul Weller
, Paul Brady
, The Cardigans
, and Nizlopi
, among others.
has recorded Galileo (Someone Like You) on her 2007 album Peacetime
and O'Rourke's anthem Love is the Way on her 2009 album also titled Love is the Way
.
Jacqui Dankworth
, daughter of Jazz legends Cleo Laine
and the late Sir John Dankworth
recorded O'Rourke's Galileo (Someone Like You) on her 2009 album Back To You
.
Swedish multi-platinum selling pop singer Peter Jöback
recorded O'Rourke's - as yet not recorded - song (I Can See) A Little Something on his eleventh studio album East Side Stories released in 2009.
Josh Groban
has recorded Galileo (Someone Like You) on his long-awaited fifth studio album Illuminations released in over thirty countries in November 2010.
1. No Place To Hide
2. Birds Of A Feather
3. Galileo (Someone Like You)
4. Your World
5. No Brakes
6. We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea
7. 1 Way Minds
8. Love Is The Way
9. Sarah (Last Night in a Dream)
10. Everything Is Different
11. Marrying The Sea/Til Death Do Us Part
His songwriting explores many diverse subjects, expressed with unconventional love songs like "Everything Is Different" and "Sarah". O'Rourke’s songs and lyrics cover both generic themes such as the sea and more abstract subjects such as arranged marriages. The album's final track, Marrying the Sea, is styled traditionally and performed a cappella
. All eleven tracks were written and produced by O'Rourke. Strings on the album were arranged by O'Rourke and Steve Wickham of The Waterboys. Wickham also played on the album, notably on Galileo (Someone Like You).
"Galileo (Someone Like You)", the first single from the album, was voted "Single of the Fortnight" and hailed by John Walshe from Hot Press as "a deliciously old world ballad…".
In Q Magazine, when Paul Weller
was asked which song from the last 20 years did he wished he had written he chose O'Rourke's "Galileo".
1. Big Bad Beautiful World
2. Save Your Soul
3. Make Something
4. Whatever Else Happens
5. Man Of Peace
6. Just To Be Friends
7. One Day In A War
8. Bein' Your Friend
9. A Song On Love And Hate
10. Stay In Sight
11. Silly Days
12. Twinkle Twinkle
Track Listing
1. Slieve Bloom
2. Time Machine
3. A little Something
4. Be Brave and Believe
5. Lightning Bird Wind River Man
6. Langley’s Requiem
7. Dancing Song
8. Caterpillar DNA
9. Orphan Wind Song
10. The Hardest Fight
11. The Old Black Crow (Bonus Track)
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Career
At the age of 13, when living in Australia with his family, O'Rourke was given his first guitar by a priest in Kyabram who recognised his potential and love for music, hence the title of his debut album Since Kyabram, which was released in October 2004.The album's launch took place over three sold-out nights in Whelan’s of Wexford St, Dublin and was broadcast live on national radio. It entered the official Irish album charts at Number 5 and was the only new Irish entry in the Top 75 album chart that week. Since Kyabram quickly went gold, then achieved double-platinum status. Since the release of the album, O'Rourke has completed multiple sell-out nationwide Irish tours, the second of these culminating in a full capacity show in Dublin's Olympia Theatre
Olympia Theatre, Dublin
The Olympia Theatre is a concert hall/theatre venue in Dublin, Ireland, located in Dame Street.-History:Built in 1879, it was originally called the "Star of Erin Music Hall". Two years later in 1881, it was renamed "Dan Lowrey's Music Hall" and was renamed again in 1889 to "Dan Lowrey's Palace of...
in March 2005.
O'Rourke has been among the few solo performers selected to appear on both the second and third TV series of Other Voices. O'Rourke tracks were included on the #1 selling compilations Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 2
Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 2
Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 2 is an Irish charity album featuring a variety of artists performing acoustic cover versions of popular songs. It was released in 2004 by RMG Chart Entertainment Ltd...
and Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 3
Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3
Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 3 is an Irish charity two-disc album featuring a variety of artists performing acoustic covers. Despite the title of the series being taken from a U2 song, the previous albums did not contain any U2 covers...
in aid of The National Children's Hospital in Tallaght
Tallaght
Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
and Tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
Relief Fund.
O'Rourke performed at the first Irish Woodstock in Inistioge
Inistioge
Inistioge is a small scenic village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is situated on the River Nore, southeast of Kilkenny. Historically, the name has been spelt as Ennistioge, Ennisteage, and in other ways....
, Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
. He has played guitar on stage with Bic Runga
Bic Runga
Briolette Kah Bic Runga MNZM is a New Zealand pop recording artist whose first solo album, Drive, debuted at number one on the New Zealand RIANZ charts. She has since become one of the highest-selling New Zealand artists in recent history...
on her European tour, Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
on the UK and Irish legs of their 2006 tour, including performances at Wembley Arena and their sold-out December performance at the old Point Theatre in Dublin. O'Rourke opened multiple shows for Planxty
Planxty
Planxty is an Irish folk music band formed in the 1970s, consisting initially of Christy Moore , Dónal Lunny , Andy Irvine , and Liam O'Flynn...
during the come-back concerts at Vicar Street, Dublin. He performed on the same bill as Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
for three consecutive shows while playing guitar with Paddy Casey
Paddy Casey
Patrick "Paddy" Casey is an Irish singer-songwriter from Dublin. Paddy was discovered by Sony A&R Scout Hugh Murray at the International Bar in Dublin, while performing at the singer/songwriter night hosted by Dave Murphy...
. O'Rourke played guitar for Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
during their Oxegen Festival performance in Ireland in July 2007. Snow Patrol's lead singer, Gary Lightbody
Gary Lightbody
Gary Lightbody is an Northern Irish musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol.- Early life :...
, gave a very positive review of O'Rourke's second album, a preview copy of which, he revealed, the band had been listening to backstage.
O'Rourke attracted praise from Paul Weller
Paul Weller
Paul Weller is an English singer-songwriter. Starting with the band The Jam , Weller then went on to branch out musically to a more soulful style with The Style Council...
for his song Galileo (Someone Like You) which he cited in an interview with Q Magazine as the song he most wished he'd written from the past twenty years; he later included O'Rourke's recording of the song on an album of his favourite songs included with a special edition of the magazine dedicated to him. Weller
Weller
-People:*Archie Weller , Australian writer*Don Weller, American illustrator and painter*Don Weller, British tenor saxophonist*George Weller, American novelist, playwright, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist...
invited O'Rourke to perform at the 100 Club
100 Club
The 100 Club is a music venue in London situated at 100 Oxford Street, W1, originally called The Feldman Swing Club.The 100 Club attained legendary status in modern British music, having played host to live music since 24 October 1942....
in London. And, on his recent mini-residency at the Olympia Theatre
Olympia Theatre, Dublin
The Olympia Theatre is a concert hall/theatre venue in Dublin, Ireland, located in Dame Street.-History:Built in 1879, it was originally called the "Star of Erin Music Hall". Two years later in 1881, it was renamed "Dan Lowrey's Music Hall" and was renamed again in 1889 to "Dan Lowrey's Palace of...
, Dublin, Weller
Weller
-People:*Archie Weller , Australian writer*Don Weller, American illustrator and painter*Don Weller, British tenor saxophonist*George Weller, American novelist, playwright, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist...
invited O'Rourke on stage as a special guest to perform a duet of Galileo. Other notable fans of O'Rourke are Rolling Stones guitarist, Ronnie Wood, Chris Rea
Chris Rea
Chris Rea is an English singer-songwriter, recognisable for his distinctive, husky voice and slide guitar playing. The British Hit Singles & Albums stated that Rea was "one of the most popular UK singer-songwriters of the late 1980s. He was already a major European star by the time he finally...
, and Paul Brady
Paul Brady
Paul Joseph Brady is an Irish singer-songwriter, whose work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age...
who describes O'Rourke as a "most talented singer-songwriter... [possessing] a rich, soulful, musical voice and a brilliant instrumental ability". Eddi Reader
Eddi Reader
Eddi Reader MBE is a Scottish singer-songwriter, known both for her work with Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo career. She is the recipient of three BRIT Awards and has topped both the album and singles charts...
once said that he was "one of the finest songwriters on the planet".
In October 2007 Declan released his second album, Big Bad Beautiful World after performing selected tracks on Irish radio. Big Bad Beautiful World beat its forerunner by debuting at number 4 in the Irish charts, but unlike Since Kyabram it was released in Ireland alone. O'Rourke released two singles from the album, the title track 'Big Bad Beautiful World' and 'Whatever Else Happens', both of which are performance standards for him. Following the album release, O'Rourke was nominated for Best Irish Male at the 2008 Meteor Ireland Awards. O'Rourke completed limited tours of South-Eastern Australia in 2008 and 2009, finishing the latter tour with a sold-out performance at Sydney's The Basement venue, which was filmed for later broadcast by ABC Australia.
In October 2010, O'Rourke was invited to open shows for American singer-songwriter John Prine
John Prine
John Prine is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.-Biography:...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Since 2006, in addition to Prine and Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
, O'Rourke has completed tours with Paulo Nutini, Paul Weller
Paul Weller
Paul Weller is an English singer-songwriter. Starting with the band The Jam , Weller then went on to branch out musically to a more soulful style with The Style Council...
, Paul Brady
Paul Brady
Paul Joseph Brady is an Irish singer-songwriter, whose work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age...
, The Cardigans
The Cardigans
The Cardigans are a Swedish rock band formed in the town of Jönköping in October 1992.Their debut album Emmerdale gave them a solid base in their home country and enjoyed some success abroad, especially in Japan. It was not until their second album Life that an international reputation was secured...
, and Nizlopi
Nizlopi
Nizlopi were a two-piece band, from 1993–2010, with Luke Concannon on vocals, guitar, and bodhrán, and John Parker on double bass, human beatbox, and providing backing vocals. They were based in Leamington Spa, England. Prior to attending Trinity Catholic Technology College, Luke and John...
, among others.
Notable Recordings by Other Artists
Scottish songstress Eddi ReaderEddi Reader
Eddi Reader MBE is a Scottish singer-songwriter, known both for her work with Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo career. She is the recipient of three BRIT Awards and has topped both the album and singles charts...
has recorded Galileo (Someone Like You) on her 2007 album Peacetime
Peacetime (album)
Peacetime is the eighth studio album by Eddi Reader released in the UK on January 29, 2007.The album was promoted the following month by a full UK tour with her own band including John McCusker, Boo Hewerdine, Kevin McGuire, Alan Kelly and Roy Dodds....
and O'Rourke's anthem Love is the Way on her 2009 album also titled Love is the Way
Love Is the Way
Love is the Way is the ninth studio album by Eddi Reader. It was released in the UK on Apr 13, 2009.In a special arrangement with record label Rough Trade she sold an exclusive, pre-released and minimally-packaged version of the disc on her autumn 2008 UK tour.Produced by Eddi herself and recorded...
.
Jacqui Dankworth
Jacqui Dankworth
Jacqui Dankworth is a British jazz singer. She is the daughter of the jazz musician, arranger and composer Sir John Dankworth and the singer Dame Cleo Laine.-Career:...
, daughter of Jazz legends Cleo Laine
Cleo Laine
Dame Cleo Laine, Lady Dankworth, DBE is a jazz singer and an actress, noted for her scat singing and vocal range...
and the late Sir John Dankworth
John Dankworth
Sir John Phillip William Dankworth, CBE , known in his early career as Johnny Dankworth, was an English jazz composer, saxophonist and clarinetist...
recorded O'Rourke's Galileo (Someone Like You) on her 2009 album Back To You
Back to You (album)
Back to You is the debut album by American country music artist Anita Cochran. It was released in 1997 by Warner Bros. Records and peaked at #24 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart...
.
Swedish multi-platinum selling pop singer Peter Jöback
Peter Jöback
Peter Arne Jöback is a Swedish singer and musical artist, and is regarded as being one of Sweden's best male vocalists .- 1997–2000 :...
recorded O'Rourke's - as yet not recorded - song (I Can See) A Little Something on his eleventh studio album East Side Stories released in 2009.
Josh Groban
Josh Groban
Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
has recorded Galileo (Someone Like You) on his long-awaited fifth studio album Illuminations released in over thirty countries in November 2010.
Since Kyabram (2004)
Track listing1. No Place To Hide
2. Birds Of A Feather
3. Galileo (Someone Like You)
4. Your World
5. No Brakes
6. We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea
7. 1 Way Minds
8. Love Is The Way
9. Sarah (Last Night in a Dream)
10. Everything Is Different
11. Marrying The Sea/Til Death Do Us Part
His songwriting explores many diverse subjects, expressed with unconventional love songs like "Everything Is Different" and "Sarah". O'Rourke’s songs and lyrics cover both generic themes such as the sea and more abstract subjects such as arranged marriages. The album's final track, Marrying the Sea, is styled traditionally and performed a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
. All eleven tracks were written and produced by O'Rourke. Strings on the album were arranged by O'Rourke and Steve Wickham of The Waterboys. Wickham also played on the album, notably on Galileo (Someone Like You).
"Galileo (Someone Like You)", the first single from the album, was voted "Single of the Fortnight" and hailed by John Walshe from Hot Press as "a deliciously old world ballad…".
In Q Magazine, when Paul Weller
Paul Weller
Paul Weller is an English singer-songwriter. Starting with the band The Jam , Weller then went on to branch out musically to a more soulful style with The Style Council...
was asked which song from the last 20 years did he wished he had written he chose O'Rourke's "Galileo".
Big Bad Beautiful World (2007)
Track Listing1. Big Bad Beautiful World
2. Save Your Soul
3. Make Something
4. Whatever Else Happens
5. Man Of Peace
6. Just To Be Friends
7. One Day In A War
8. Bein' Your Friend
9. A Song On Love And Hate
10. Stay In Sight
11. Silly Days
12. Twinkle Twinkle
Mag Pai Zai (2011)
O'Rourke first posted news of his planned third studio album on his website in May 2009, noting "plans are underway to begin recording this summer." The album, entitled "Mag Pai Zai" was released on 8 April 2011 and is O'Rourke's first independent project released on his own record label.Track Listing
1. Slieve Bloom
2. Time Machine
3. A little Something
4. Be Brave and Believe
5. Lightning Bird Wind River Man
6. Langley’s Requiem
7. Dancing Song
8. Caterpillar DNA
9. Orphan Wind Song
10. The Hardest Fight
11. The Old Black Crow (Bonus Track)