(Eclectic Prog) The Underground Railroad - The Origin of Consciousness - 2005, FLAC (image+.cue) lossless

This prog outfit hails from Fort Worth, Texas. In late '95 the improv-based group Anne Hand (with drummer Nathan Brown) had imploded leaving Kurt Rungey (keyboards) and Bill Pohl (guitars) to form The UUNDERGROUND RAILROAD a few months later. A few years of writing and recording followed. Former Pohl-band drummer John Livingston climbed aboard in '97. Matt Hembree (Bindle, Drunken Monkey, Goodwin) was asked to contribute bass tracks shortly thereafter.

In 1999, their first album, "Through and Through" was picked up by The Laser's Edge label. Their style derives from classic GENESIS & YES, alongside clear fusion influences from Allan Holdsworth's guitar techniques. Reviews for the album were good, and they were invited to play on NEARfest 2001 and on CattleProg on 2002. The band took its time for the 2nd album, and the studio work took about three years to complete.

"The Origin of Consciousness" (2005) is The UNDERGROUND RAILROAD's long-awaited second album. Highlights include a conceptual set of songs based on the ideas of psychoanthropologist Julian Jaynes, the guitar showcase "Love Is a Vagabond King," and "Creeper" which continues the story begun on the fan favorite "The Doorman" from the previous album.
(http://www.progarchives.com/)

From progarchives.com reviews:

"...it's an excellent addition to any prog music collection and it's best offered to those who have been familiar with Echolyn, Finneus Gauge, Brand X, Allan Holdsworth or in fact Bill Bruford first three albums."
"...This is a very tight band, playing complex progressive rock with some major fusion influence. The vocals are good, at least much better than other bands playing this style of music. Some of the harmony vocals remind of Echolyn. The lyrics are pretty far out, in the Jon Anderson tradition. I've read them a few times and without some kind of guidance from the author they could contain multiple meanings. In this context, the ambiguity fits and doesn't detract from the overall pleasurable experience... I would recommend The Underground Railroad to fans of Echolyn, Frogg Cafe, Land of Chocolate, Finneus Gauge, Thieves Kitchen, Dark Aether Project, Djam Karet and Thirteen of Everything. A complex harmonic undertaking."

From proggnosis.com:

"It's been 5 years since the release of The Underground Railroads uniquely mature effort - Through and Through a cd that received more than it's share of positive reviews. I became an instant fan for the simple reason that UG possessed everything that appeals to my ears when concerning progressive music. And not surprising is that after 5 years of work, they have managed to release a cd that is even better than their first, a tough challenge indeed. On The Origen of Consciousness, Kurt Rongey and Bill Pohl took the best nuaces from their first effort, expounded on them, added more intricate instrumental passages, and found a way to display their individual musicianship at it's highest level, without making it into a fusion outing.

Anyone that has heard this band knows the level of talent posessed by the band members, the original line-up remains intact, and the style remains the same, yet with the natural progression of compositional maturation that you would expect from musicians of this caliber. Kurt Rongey has to be considered as one of the more innovative keyboardists doing progressive music today, his ultra sophisticated writing always seems to remind me of what Dave Stewart was doing back in his days with Bruford & National Health, his ability to create textural soundscapes with abstract chord progressions, oddly seem to come across very cohesive, he also has his own array of tonal approaches, which give him his own identity, something very few keyboardists are able to acheive. Even on the piano, he has a sense of attachment with the instrument that personifies his sense of inventiveness.

Enter guitarist Bill Pohl, who is every bit the complimentary musical voice for Rongey, he really lets his magic be heard on this cd, we have had small doses of his slick Holdsworth influenced playing on the first cd, yet here we get to hear him stretch things out, especially on the 10 minute epic - Love is a Vagabond King. Here is where you get to hear a guitarist that is taking the legato technique and putting his own spin on it. Also worth noting is Pohl's beautiful rhythm playing, which exists along with Rongey's keywork in a perfect accompaniment.

Few bands in progressive rock have this kind of chemistry, able to create such complex and original music, and add the instrumental skills of the best fusion bands, they never compromise for the simplistic approach, the air of sophistication is heard in every verse. If it isn't Rongey's keys, or Pohl's guitar antics, the bass and drum work by Hembree and Livingston are equal to that task. While I could rant on and on about the level of talent these musicians display, it's important that I convey the fact that this band thrives around it's mastery of composition. Their talent is indeed impressive, yet the complexity of the writing with that same talent provide a symbiosis. Never does this sound like a fusion affair, it always sounds like a progressive band. Much in the same way bands like Bruford, National Health, UK do. Simply one of the most innovative bands in prog today, and easily on my best of 2005 list half way through the year, highest recommendation!"

- Bill Pohl / guitars, vocals
- John Livingston / drums
- Kurt Rongey / keyboards, vocals
- Matt Hembree / bass