Kami Thompson and James Walbourne, the married couple known as The Rails, take on a beautiful Irish folk tune, Bonnie Portmore, and produce something truly beautiful in the process.
There's already a lot of hype about The Rails, prior to the release of their debut album Fair Warning - that's only to be expected, given that Kami Thompson is the daughter of Folk royalty Richard and Linda Thompson, and that she sings with her husband James Walbourne. A husband and wife folk-duo, the echoes are too much for any hack to pass up; but Thompson and Walbourne have both released credible records on their own - not to mention with others, Walbourne is a respected guitarist who has played with the likes of Son Volt, the Pogues, and the Pernice Brothers - so much of the hype can be re-classified as eager anticipation for what should be a great record.
The Rails have chosen not to shy away from the obvious comparisons with Richard and Linda Thompson - and take on a beautiful Irish folk tune as an opening salvo. It's clear from the outset that these are special voices that work together to create something timeless and spine-tingling. Beautiful.
And the good news is that, for a limited time, if you go to the band's site (www.therailsofficial.com/) and sign up to their mailing list, you'll be able to download a free copy of the track.