The Album Review Club - Week #144 - (page 1893) - XO - Elliot Smith

Split – The Groundhogs

My feelings on this are very similar to those of Coatigan and GoatersLeftShin. Whilst I like the tone and sound of the guitars, it needs more structure to the songs. Whilst it would be unfair to say that it sounds like a few guys warming up on their guitars, it’s only halfway between this and having some decent songs, which for me, is not enough to pull me back in for repeat listens.

However, I did get something out of “Split” parts 1-4: there were definitely some decent riffs in there and a bit of that psychedelic guitar that I like. After the title track(s) I think the album went downhill. Ending with “Junkman”, which sounds a great title but was pretty lame, and “Groundhog”, which whilst being a partial cover does at least have some nice blues guitar parts.

It’s often said that to make truly great music, you have to be bold and do something different. This is something that I 100% disagree with, and there’s plenty of evidence in music history where artists build on what has come before, tweaking the same formula to move things on. Whilst this doesn’t invent or even re-invent anything, I’d much rather listen to something like this than some “out there” act trying to sound different or cool or offensive for the sake of it, and usually falling flat (I don’t think I have to mention which recent album falls into this category ). I’ll give it a 6.
 
Not my cup of tea.Too many guitar solo's for no reason at all.I would have liked it a lot more if they had cut back on the solos.
The bass was prominent in the songs and I liked that but I found most of the songs with no real structure to them.Cherry red must have had 3 guitar solo's on it and an ending that there was no need for.
Junkman no idea what they were trying to achieve with that ending.
Finishing off with Groundhog the worst track of the lot.
Could have been a lot better if there was less pointless solo's but still going to give it a 5.Some bits I enjoyed so in a good mood today so a 5 it is.
 
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After really liking it after 5 songs first listen....the end did tail off. Found the same next listen, and again tonight.
Definitely an album where I'd listen to some, skip some. Probably a bit samey too, but haven't a problem with that, as i like AC/DC!, others may?
So a 6.5 for me.
 
RobMCFC said:
Split – The Groundhogs

My feelings on this are very similar to those of Coatigan and GoatersLeftShin. Whilst I like the tone and sound of the guitars, it needs more structure to the songs. Whilst it would be unfair to say that it sounds like a few guys warming up on their guitars, it’s only halfway between this and having some decent songs, which for me, is not enough to pull me back in for repeat listens.

However, I did get something out of “Split” parts 1-4: there were definitely some decent riffs in there and a bit of that psychedelic guitar that I like. After the title track(s) I think the album went downhill. Ending with “Junkman”, which sounds a great title but was pretty lame, and “Groundhog”, which whilst being a partial cover does at least have some nice blues guitar parts.

It’s often said that to make truly great music, you have to be bold and do something different. This is something that I 100% disagree with, and there’s plenty of evidence in music history where artists build on what has come before, tweaking the same formula to move things on. Whilst this doesn’t invent or even re-invent anything, I’d much rather listen to something like this than some “out there” act trying to sound different or cool or offensive for the sake of it, and usually falling flat (I don’t think I have to mention which recent album falls into this category ). I’ll give it a 6.
Click to expand...

I could happily nick most of your review and I agree on the score - 6.

I hadn't heard this album but I do have a Groundhog's compilation. The first 5 tracks are the best part of the album.

I prefer the music to the singing.

At its best, it reminds me a little bit of early Sabbath.
 
(Side 1)
Split parts 1-4
Lots of thoughts of who they sounded like across all parts, Bits of the Kinks or Jam or Kings of Leon. I wasn't actually that impressed with the first 3 and thought that part 4 was perhaps the strongest and should perhaps have opened the album. Each one started off well enough but then wandered down the "noodling" road with the solos that sadly seemed to permeate every track and made them sort of merge into one.
Cherry Red was perhaps the best with the bassline going through it but then again went off down the noodling route
A Year in The Life...sounded just like a slowed down version of Splits1-4
Junkman .... I could almost have imagined it being penned by Ray Davies....but then off it went again down the noodling route. Thought it went off as something reasonably fun and interesting but then became far less so...aren't we just so avant garde?
Overall, not one that I will revisit and would put it in the same bracket enjoyment wise as PJ/Ten...so It's a 4 from the Derry jury
 
Split – The Groundhogs

Split, Pt. 1 - from the first notes, I'm hearing lots of Cream and early Led Zep, the former towards the end of this track on the guitar sounds. My initial excitement on this track was there was a band/album from the early 1970s I had missed.

Split, Pt. 2 - this intro nearly reminded me of something Van Halen took from them with the bass chord thumping. Then back to Cream where I was waiting for "In the White Room...". Another hard steady psychedelic rocker.

Split, Pt. 3 - in comes the organ and the Deep Purple vibes, more mellower

Split, Pt. 4 - a good rambling along song, and it appears George Thorogood six years later will borrow the beat and guitar for "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer". Van Halen will take the ending guitar riff for "Atomic Punk" years later too.

Cherry Red - good bassline as @LGWIO notes above. Yeah, there's lots of noodling, but I then remind myself of the year of release and this sounds pretty darn good for that time period.

A Year in the Life - mid-tempo number not to be confused with just a Day, and this one didn't turn me on.

Junkman - bread, rice, molasses, sugar - this sandwich was missing some meat in the lyric department and then 2 minutes of guitars sounding like the grinding up of the debris in the back of the dump truck.

Groundhog - nice bluesy finish to "Bring it on Home", but Page didn't show up for the ending solo.

What I liked most about this selection was just the overall sound of most of the songs and this unknown band and album to me from a long ago era, some riffs that probably/maybe even inspired others.

The fact @BimboBob has great and lasting memories of listening to this with his dad makes it even more special as I cannot offer up any such memories. His connection to the group is cool too. I'm not going to judge this album based on what I listen to today or otherwise, but for its era, I would have dug this too.

Last place? Not on my watch. 7/10 for me.
 
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