Lorkin O'Reilly on Leaving New York and Pursuing New Project "DUG"
Since his initial move to New York from Scotland in 2014 as a ripe eighteen-year-old, Lorkin O’Reilly has graciously established himself as a talented songwriter and musician across the United States and the United Kingdom. Being a long way from home, the Edinburgh-born singer orchestrates the experiences and heavy distances of the heart.
Writing reflective narratives that feel comforting to even the most unfamiliar listener, O’Reilly and his lyrics create a space of comfort, a safe space of confession. His 2021 song "Still You" from his album, "Marriage Material" epitomizes the decision paralysis of the early stages of adulthood. "You could move to Dublin / You could fly to Spain / You could live in San Francisco / You could leave today / There's so many things you could do / So why is it so hard to choose / The problem is I'm still in love with you."
Inspired by more traditional, old-country music, a sound reminiscent of Bert Jansch, Nick Drake, and Jackson C. Frank, his music carries a style characterized by twanging tunings and alternative acoustics. His Irish ancestry, neatly woven into his late-night writing sessions, cannot escape him. After a ten-year episode of life and songwriting in Catskill, New York, Lorkin O'Reilly is packing up his things and embarking on a pilgrimage back to his humble inspirations–Dublin, Ireland–bringing along with him new musical portals, performances, and projects.
The most recent years have been full of creative pockets of pleasure for Lorkin O'Reilly. He has not only released two albums: "Heaven Depends" in 2018 and "Marriage Material" in 2021, but also crafted his self-made record label in January, A For Efforts Records, as well as signed a deal with Musicbed back in August.
*You can listen to a playlist of Irish musicians under A For Efforts Records here:
After a series of pursuits under the name Lorkin O'Reilly, the solo singer-songwriter has found an extension cord to plug into an amp bigger than himself. A band, perhaps? Amid clearing out his NY apartment–a marker of everything he has accomplished in the past ten years and an ode to new beginnings, Lorkin O'Reilly has had time to compartmentalize the final details of his latest budding project. As of November 23rd, 2023, DUG has finally materialized.
Synonymous with his move back to Dublin, DUG's music comforts with the familial gravitational pull back towards the more traditional side of things. As a three-person band comprised of himself, his good friend, Jonny Pickett, and Michael McCarthy, DUG, in all its glory, foretells a folky undertone. American composer, ethnomusicologist, and mastermind of the banjo, Pickett, can come up with a strum as steady and smooth as a slow dance.
DUG indicates a pivotal moment for Lorkin O'Reilly and his fellow bandmates on the periphery of Dublin's incredible movement in the arts. This latest project and a new place to call home signify an ultimately beautiful journey ahead.
DUG will be playing their first-ever show on February 3rd, 2024, 8:00 pm-10:30 pm at Whelan's Upstairs. If you're around Dublin, Ireland, be sure to get your tickets tickets here.
Written By Rosa-Lee O'Reilly
