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The following 5 reviews are from www.prog.net
The Underground Railroad Through And Through 2000 Rating: * * * * Reviewed By Yves Dube dubeyves@total.net Montreal 7/27/00 Consider me officially "On the Bandwagon" as far as this band is concerned.Freshest new band I´ve heard in a while. A veritable mixture of styles and sounds.With the hype this disc was getting coupled to the fact that they´re the first official band of Nearfest 2001 (A Prog Odyssey), I was very curious and also leery.Rest assured, they appear to be the Real Deal.Great vocals (from 3 of the 4 band members) and very mature musical interplay are showcased throughout.The motto seems to be "Less Is More" on most tracks ,which flow seamlessly into each other.At times ,I too am reminded of echolyn (circa As The World;the opening 2 tracks in particular)but they take it elsewhere (the Doorman has vocal passages lifted straight off Nursery Cryme).The general feel of the disc is of a concept piece but the lyrical subject matter varies from track to track.High point is the 20:13 title track with it´s dark,brooding,symphonic intro giving way to angelic vocals.This slowly gives way to some vintage analog keys as the bass line slowly takes over the track.This ain´t your typical,flashy, 200-notes-per-second fare that some of you may expect from a new band who want to show the world their chops.It´s a truly symphonic,at times ambient,yet mature through-and-through disc.It may take some of you for a loop, so you´ve been warned.Also, my congratulations to Ken Golden at Laser´s Edge for the fantastic presentation and artwork both on the cover and the inner sleeve.Real quality stuff. The Underground Railroad Through and Through 2000 Rating: * * * * 1/2 Reviewed By Peter Pardo ppardo@frontiernet.net Washingtonville, NY 7/6/00 Another fantastic new release by the Lasers Edge is upon us (and just in time for Nearfest 2000) in the form of The Underground Railroad. After hearing the first song, "May-Fly", I almost thought I was hearing Echolyn with Scott McGill or Allan Holdsworth on lead guitar. The vocals harmonies and quirky keyboards are very similar on this one to Echolyn, as they are on the second track "The Comprachicos of the Mind." What I like about these songs is the dark feel that they give off, and that is accomplished by the switching back and forth from intense, moody prog rock to lighter jazzier fare. Bassist Matt Hembree loves to lay down some evil, pulsing bass lines, while Kurt Rongey switches from bouncy synth lines to menacing atmospherics. Veteran guitarist Bill Pohl liquid guitar solos are all over the place, and quite impressive. Check out the funky counterpoint to songs like the instrumental "In the Factory", for an obvious hint to Gentle Giant , Henry Cow or Return to Forever. On the ten minute "The Doorway" (sic) there is the classic 70´s English prog feel, much like Foxtrot era Genesis, complete with atmospheric Moog solos, 12 string guitar, Mellotron, and passionate vocals. The real treat is the 20 minute title track, a prog lovers tour-de-force. At the end of this one you will want to hit the replay button for sure! Rarely does a new band create a piece of music this lengthy that creates a mood and flows all the way though. I guess that´s why they called it "Through and Through." Highly recommended! Underground Railroad Through and Through Rating: * * * * 1/2 Reviewed By Zyrogerg Eugene, OR 8/2/00 HOLY HAND GRENADES! This album´s terrific! While my tastes lean toward Canterbury, RIO and jazz-fusion, I´m always open to an intriguing symph. listen, and Underground Railroad delivers. Though this Texas band´s style is firmly rooted in early Genesis, it´s the seamlessly integrated atmospherics & instrumental passages (reminiscent of 70´s Italian prog), not to mention the brief avant flourishes that set them apart. Featuring a quartet of virtuosos (Kurt Rongey, keyboards; Bill Pohl, guitar; Matt Hembree, bass; John Livingston, drums); vocals reminiscent of early Gabriel and HTM´s Whitaker; diverse and inventive compositions; and sensational production values (nice attention to sonics!) - and you´ve got one hell of a CD. If you´re like me and are beginning to believe that the "symphonic" sub-genre is best left to history and the abstract (with a few exceptions), and/or have grown weary of wading through the marass of insipid, maudlin, neo-drivel, then prepare yourself for a pleasant surprise and give this disc a spin! According to their label´s website (The Laser´s Edge), the UR has already received an invitation to Nearfest 2001. If they show up, so will I. The Underground Railroad Through and Through 2000 Rating: * * * * 1/2 Reviewed By Eric Porter Unc@aol.com Saratoga NY 8/15/00 If first impressions mean anything, this band should be a force to reckon with. After just one listen, I was blown away. The Echolyn comparisons are valid as the high caliber musicianship and song structures recall that band. I think Ken Golden and Lasers Edge have really found something here, and Nearfest organizers were obviously awed enough to sign them on for the 2001 edition. The opener "May-Fly" has you asking yourself at times if this is Echoylyn or not, especially in the vocal presentation, which continues throughout the CD. The guitar soloing has a jazzy feel which is where the Holdsworth comparisons come from The production is really strong as well, as the bass cuts through and each instrument is crisp in the mix. "The Comprachicos of The Mind" also evokes Echolyn. An evil sounding mid-section of swirling sounds and guitar swells creates a dark mystic blend of music. The instrumental "In The Factory" has the band targeting a more fusion sound. "Mars" guitar work reminds me of Eric Johnson in places, and a nice moody keyboard backdrop provides the perfect setting for more soling. The 20 minute title track is a tour de force, containing plenty of instrumental workouts, combining fusion soloing with atmospheric synth/piano sections. Some classic sounding synth soloing is also unveiled. I think what is most attractive is the dark and mysterious mood balanced with some aggressive instrumental workouts. The softer sections provide a nice contrast for when the band turns up the heaters. There are some moments of pure Genesis in this one too, done beautifully, and the acoustic guitar at the ending sounds like it is straight from "Voyage of the Acolyte". There are enough intricate musical passages to please all, and the same goes for the more symphonic fans. The praise that this debut has received is well deserved, and lets hope these guys have much more to offer us. Underground Railroad Through and Through 1999 - 2000 * * * * 1/2 Reviewed By Greg Cummins fregster@netscape.net Maroochydore, Qld. Australia 5/2/01 Having listened to this very clever disc for a little over a week now I guess I can confirm it has well and truly reached the pass mark with this avid collector. The playing is tight, controlled, well directed, sufficiently different and yet very cohesive. The dynamics between each contributor is very well maintained and is a testament to their strong musical ability. To qualify as a progressive rock band these days, it is almost mandatory to be well equipped with an assortment of guitars, bass, drums, keyboards and clever vocals and to have completely mastered each instrument. In this regard, U.R. have accomplished this aim very admirably. I am particularly impressed with their guitarist, Bill Pohl who reminds me very much, in parts, of Allan Holdsworth although his input on the release is certainly more impressive than A.H.´s more recent efforts. (Refer to my earlier review of A.H. for some additional thoughts). Kurt Rongey, on keys is a joy to listen to as well and I am glad I have finally managed to hear his contributions on this stellar release. There is an early Genesis feel to the whole album but they seem to be able to deliver something far more interesting compared to what´s around these days. These guys have a great thing going here as the music twists and turns, chops and changes and finally comes to rest after exhausting the senses with some powerful and impressive playing. There is so much attention to detail that even after the first listen, I was incredibly drawn to the magnetism of their playing, such is the inventiveness and unity between these guys. My thanks to Steve Pettengill who turned me onto their music. I love this stuff!! Now, what´s for dessert? A Kurt Rongey or Bill Pohl solo disc? I think they´re out of print. Bummer! |