Split - GROUNDHOGS****

Split Part One/Split Part Two/Split Part Three/Split Part Four/Cherry Red/A Year In The Life/Junkman/Ground Hog

Split was the best remembered and most commercial album release from the blues-rock group Groundhogs. Side one features the title track split into four separate parts. (UK:5)

“A fusion of hard rock and hairy progressive rock released at the moment that both of them exploded in popularity.”

“Split is a set of well played, proggy blues rock sometimes reminiscent of Cream. Cherry Red is the stand out performance whilst Ground Hog shows you what they sounded like playing straight blues.”

“This is a great addition to any blues/psych rock record collection out there. Especially the first side which includes four different parts of the title track but the side two includes very nice moments too. Great guitar sound throughout the whole length of the record, and they have succeeded with the songwriting as well.”

“One of the more exciting blues-rock albums I have heard which from the onset, demands all your attention. It’s a consistently great record.”

“The album Split is a veritable masterpiece in the field of progressive rock. From the writing to production, each and every track deserves a well placed position on this album. For many rock artists, this has been one of rocks benchmarks and is the apex of McPhee's recording career.”

“A blues band morphs into a heavy rock trio. A band which although well known, never achieved the level of success of many of their contemporaries. The standout of course is the hard driven, pummelling, Cherry Red which is to any rock fan ageless classic, although the Split parts are pretty good, as is the blues orientated Ground Hog.”

“Split is not the best place for a newcomer to the Groundhogs to start, as it’s pretty dense and heavy going stuff, though the more prog-inclined will find much to admire, especially given the limitations of the power-trio format.”

“The first side is Split, a conceptual piece divided into four very distinct songs, and probably the heaviest and most psychedelic Groundhogs music ever, maybe a little too much so.”