Declan O’Rourke has shared details of celebrations surrounding the 20th anniversary of his debut album, Since Kyabram, which spawned the Irish classic ‘Galileo’ which has received praise by the likes of Paul Weller.
A special 20th Anniversary Edition of Since Kyabram arrives on February 7, 2025. The re-issue will be available on limited edition vinyl and CD, including the original album along with a second disc packed with never-before-heard bonus material including unreleased demos, alternate takes, and behind-the-scenes footage, providing a rare insight into the music that has defined O’Rourke’s career.
“Since Kyabram was not only my first complete offering of artistic expression, but the culmination of years applying myself to the learning of a great craft and infusing it with an identity of my own. Getting to make a record was a privilege I took very seriously and when it came time to, I entered the studio with a collection of songs I felt were strong, and distinctly mine,” explains O’Rourke.
“I revelled in the studio environment and had the best of musicians to help in pursuing the vision I had for each song. We went for the old school vibe of playing together in the same room and capturing performances. It was a magical time and a dream to watch each of the songs landing. But the most unexpected thing for me was to witness something being born that was far beyond anything I had imagined and that had legs to stand up all on its own.
Surreal and magical, the experience was something entirely new, and very addictive.But it all happened so fast at the time. So the re-release in celebration of its anniversary (along with all the extra surprises found hidden among the master tapes and my own archives recently), has been a great chance to go back and absorb Kyabram at a different pace. It sounds as fresh as ever to me, but this time around I had the wonderful sense of just being a passenger, and of how lucky I am to have been a part of it all.”
O’Rourke performed ‘Galileo’ for actress Meryl Streep at the
LIVE SHOWS:
- Live in-store at Spindizzy, Dublin, 5pm Wednesday 12th February
- National Concert Hall, Dublin, Thursday 13th February
Pre-Order Since Kyabram here