DUG – “Livelong Day” Out Now via Claddagh Records (Niamh Bury, Lemoncello, ØXN) / Produced by Mike Halls (Clean Cut Kid)
“Livelong Day”, the 5th track to be released from DUG’s highly anticipated upcoming album, is out now via Claddagh Records.
Comprised of Californian Jonny Pickett & folk artist Lorkin O’Reilly (26M+ Spotify streams), DUG have firmly established themselves as one of the most unique, and relatable forces in contemporary folk music, thanks in part to singles like ‘The Big Sundown’ and ‘Jubilee’ (shortlisted for two Grammy nominations). Now, the duo releases their latest offering “Livelong Day”, produced by Mike Halls (Clean Cut Kid), ahead of their highly anticipated forthcoming debut album, coming later this year.
This single comes on foot of a sold-out Irish Tour and multiple UK & US Tour supports with Divorce, Willie Carlisle and Iron & Wine. They also recently played The Great Escape in Brighton and they have a host of upcoming shows this summer including Beyond the Pale in Wicklow, All Together Now in Waterford and Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Co.Laois.
Quote from DUG on Livelong Day:
Recorded onto tape and tracked live, Livelong Day showcases a different side of DUG. Unlike other offerings Livelong Day is heavy, moody and even earthy. Lyrically the song depicts a drunken dance in a faerie ring, the protagonist comes to his senses mid way through being swung around the mulberry bush and tries convincing himself he’s gonna get out ok. This is a sort of play on the Irish folktale “The Legend of Knockgrafton”.
DUG have a shared musical heritage, with both members having been born in America and Scotland before arriving in Ireland. O’Reilly himself spent almost a decade making and releasing music in upstate New York before moving to Ireland in 2022 to start a new musical chapter.
And you can hear that lived musical experience in their collaboration. Resonator guitar and banjo, the building blocks of DUG’s arrangements, lick and spin, with intricate finger-picking patterns whirling to a compelling whole. Their music breathes, vamping in sync.
DUG’s love for the musicians that inspired them never steps too far into reverence. They’re an unapologetically modern band. You’ll hear plenty of Irish influence in their music, but wont find any tweed coats or paddy caps here. Instead, the band opts to be themselves-completely natural and organic. It’s part of what gives the group’s work such a strong charisma, and helps establish DUG as having one of the most unique takes on contemporary folk music.
Earlier this year the duo signed to Claddagh Records, a label in which they find themselves in fine musical company. A subsidiary of Universal Records, Claddagh Records has spent the last few years becoming a hotbed for some of the most forward-thinking musicians in contemporary Irish folk, home to artists like Niamh Bury, Lemoncello, and ØXN, to name a few.
DUG will spend much of 2025 on the road with plans for an extensive international tour. Already announced are Summer dates in the US: Colorado (main stage at Telluride Blugrass Festival), Washington, Portland and Idaho, as well as a debut tour in Australia in October. Irish fans can expect a surely raucous performance at almost every major Irish festival this summer. Full list of live dates available HERE
Connect with DUG:
Spotify: DUG
Instagram: @dugworld
TikTok: @dug_world
Youtube: @DUG_world
Web: dugworld.com
