Thank Christ for the Bomb 1970 Album

Groundhogs

Here begins a string of loose conceptual LPs from The Groundhogs, and the basis for their status as minor legends today. McPhee and crew now drop all old-school blues pretenses, and move the blues to progressive realms full-steam ahead. The album cover, of course, is a big hint – and I can sum it up in two words: class warfare. The majority of songs here deal with the topic, whether it be the lament of the poor man having to face the music no matter what in “Soldier”, the out-and-out alienation of “Strange Town”, the historical arc of two world wars during the 20th century in the title track, or simply McPhee blatantly spelling out his disdain for the rich in tracks like “Status People” and “Eccentric Man”. And it goes beyond a simple “us against the man” mindset here, for most of these tracks you can hear the sheer power and desperation of McPhee’s drive against the system. There was always an intensity about his work, but now, he’s transmitted it to his band members as well. “Strange Town” is about as perfect and confused as start to an album as I have ever heard – somewhat reminiscent of a Procol Harum track, but heavier with the blues influence – and the main thing here is, that feeling of being somewhere you absolutely do not belong whatsoever. The title track is another water mark, where the players reach a heightened sense of fury towards the end of the deal almost out of nowhere. “Garden” is yet another track where everyone involved ratchets up the intensity factor beyond levels unimaginable – as if McPhee seems hell-bent on protecting that little patch of green of his at all costs.Not every track here connects in this exact fashion – “Ship on the Ocean” or “Darkness is No Friend” feel like lesser takes on these ideas – but generally, TS McPhee is now highly emotional about a lot of things and was surprising adept in communicating this displeasure to his band mates as well. And speaking of class warfare and all of that – well, as good as “Soldier” is, we have this album cover to remind us all just what class of people usually get sent off to fight these costly, bloody wars, right?