SPLIT

Heavy blues rock, proto-metal and guitar experimentation and molestation; Groundhogs is one of those bands with the perfect sound - that almost pastoral feeling rock sensation. With a strong emphasis on riffs and the rhythm section gives me the feel of listening to 'real' man- made well crafted music. The production was done by Martin Birch, one can't ask for much more.

The first side is filled with 'Split I - IV', all heavy rock tracks with guitar innovation and the best of riffs. The lyrics are mostly about psychological problems, front-man singer/guitar player Tony McPhee describes how the world became unreal to him after a breakdown. Part two stands out for having one of best swinging guitar riffs I know of. On side two the band goes into different styles and vibes. 'Cherry Red' is another heavy blues rock track, but this time the melodies are quite catchy. 'A year in the Life' and 'Junkman' are both heavy blues rock tracks that dwell in a late coming sixties psych mood, perhaps the most experimental and daring tracks of the album. 'Split' closes with a very intense bluesy solo performance of McPhee with great vocals, guitar and bass drum (of which I assume he also played it).

Conclusion. I really like this album for its pure musicianship. It's like the kind of association I have with the term 'rock music' (riffs, swing, concentration, no-nonsense). Four and a halve stars.

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