David Kitt releases the final pair of singles leading into the April 8th release of The Big Romance (Kittser’s Version) – a newly reimagined edition marking the 25th anniversary of his landmark debut.
This new double single highlights two fan favourites: Into the Breeze – the beloved album track and long-standing live highlight; and Saturdays – originally a B-side to Song From Hope St. (Brooklyn, NY) and a staple of Kitt’s sets over the years
Into the Breeze features gorgeous vocal contributions from Charlotte Cornfield – whom Kittser met at Sounds From A Safe Harbour in Cork last September – alongside regular collaborators Katie Kim and Eamon Brady.
“Into the Breeze is the only song on the new recording that departs from the original and I guess sounds closer to how the song has been performed live over the years. A friend of mine described it as having ‘The Kerry sound’ which sounds right to me, freewheelin South Kerry vibes. ‘Saturdays’ I’ve included as a b-side because I wanted to give a lil shoutout to this version which I think is the definitive version of the track and features some beautiful sax and flute playing from Jack Doherty”
The Big Romance anniversary will also be celebrated with two special live shows, where Kitt performs the album in full at Dublin’s National Concert Hall. The shows will feature an all-star band including Dylan Lynch, Rachael Lavelle, Katie Kim, Ryan Hargadon, Paul G. Smyth, Eamon Brady and Gareth Averill.
Following his home-recorded debut Small Moments, 2001’s The Big Romance marked Kittser’s first experience working in a professional studio.
“The bulk of the original album was recorded at Pulse Studios off Camden St. with producer Ken McHugh – owner of many of the synths and samplers and drum machines I dreamt of owning back then. It was such an exciting time to have access to this dream palette of sounds and Ken’s skill and talent as a producer/programmer. I was bringing in records from underground electronica and hip hop as references for the sound I was going for and the results were a fusion of more traditional acoustic and electric instruments with electronic sounds and hip-hop flavours that was pretty fresh for the time. It felt like a distillation of all the things I was a fan of. It’s a sound I feel I’ve been honing and crafting ever since.”
The record – featuring the singles ‘Song From Hope St. (Brooklyn, NY)’ and ‘You Know What I Wanna Know’ – sold 60,000 copies in Ireland alone and marked a major shift in Kitt’s life as a musician and performer.
Originally released on Warner Music, Kitt reflects: “the contract I signed back then means they own the rights to the album “for the universe forever”, apparently. Great! I approached them about a vinyl reissue for the 10th and 20th anniversaries and got nowhere. So, for the 25th anniversary, I decided to take matters into my own hands and make a version of the album that I own myself and I’m free to press on vinyl.”
The new release features all ten tracks of the original album along with three new tracks and b-side and fan favourite ‘Saturdays’ – all lovingly and faithfully remade in Ballinskelligs, at Kitt’s home studio, with the invaluable help of Ken McHugh and drawing on his 25 years’ experience of making records with synths and samplers.
“I feel I’ve landed on a document that has the sonic and emotional DNA of the original – and at times improves on it, a record that will be cherished by fans of the original and would get the seal of approval from my 25-year-old self.”
‘The Big Romance (Kittser’s Version)’ will be released on All City Records on April 8, 2026, on vinyl, CD and digital.
Bandcamp: https://davidkitt.bandcamp.com/album/the-big-romance-kittsers-version
A special performance of the album in full, featuring friends and collaborators old and new, takes place at The National Concert Hall in Dublin on April 10 + 11. Tickets selling fast – https://www.nch.ie/all-events-listing/nch-landmarks-david-kitt-the-big-romance-apr26/
Warm up gig with the full band at The Spirit Store, Dundalk, April 2: |https://spiritstore.ie/event.php?eventID=DKitt26
Photo credit Erica Coburn
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