The Rails - Cancel The Sun

Released: Aug 2019
Label: Thirty Tigers 
Listen on Spotify

London Folk duo, The Rails, return with their third album, Cancel The Sun. They are a new discovery for me and I was so impressed by this collection of folk inspired, guitar pop songs, rich in vocal harmonies and dark lyrics.

It opens with my favourite on the album - 'Call Me When it All Goes Wrong', which is a sad song about a complicated relationship. The music is upbeat and anthemic with a superb chorus. 

Their sound combines folk with more mainstream rock and it works so well. The songs are really varied, with some songs closer to traditional folk. Kami is the daughter of Folk legend Richard Thompson, and you can definitely hear his influence here.


'Save The Planet' is a hard-hitting song about Climate Change. Lyrically it is very dark, suggesting humankind should sacrifice their own lives so the planet can be saved. It is a beautiful song with an important message. There are not enough songs being written about this issue.

'Something is Slipping My Mind' is a highlight and is a lovely ballad. The vocal harmonies in this, echo back to the 50's and 60's. There is so much raw emotion conveyed here too, it can be hard to listen to without being affected by it in some way.

Other highlights include 'Ball and Chain' which is another catchy pop song, with great melodies. 'The Inheritance' is more traditional folk and quite powerful with heavy guitars and superb vocal harmonies. 

This album will probably go on to be one of my most played of the year. An essential listen.