PicusMaximus – Lullabies For The Cursed (Independent)
San Diego-based duo Rick Sparhawk and Jim Soldi havemusical histories that go back to the 1970s. Sparhawk originally foundrecognition as a founding member of bluegrass pranksters Montezuma's Revenge,and played venues such as Nashville’s Grand Ol’ Opry and the Palomino Club inWest Hollywood. Soldi was a much in demand guitarist for a host of countrylegends, including Johnny Cash, Ricky Skaggs and Waylon Jennings, and evenenjoyed a short stint in Brooke Shields’ band. I thing it’s fair to say thatboth have paid their dues.In Picus Maximus they’re joined by various other acclaimedlocal California musicians, though it’s very much Sparhawk’s and Soldi’s show,and for their second LP (they released the rock opera “The Tragedy of JohnnyPatriot” in 2008) they’ve make use of all their varied experience. “LullabiesFor The Cursed” isn’t a rock opera, but it’s certainly conceptual. It’s atribute to vintage monster movies, and features a cast of ghosts, ghouls, vampsand hostile aliens, the characters that inhabit the shadows at midnightscreenings and have a tendency to jump out at the most inopportune moments.
Within the band’s Zappa-esque, bluesy Americanasound, there’s an atmosphere of cultivated dread, though it’ll inevitably raisesmiles rather that the hairs on the back of the neck. Still, lots of fun fornext year’s Halloween, and the songs are more than strong enough to be enjoyedwhenever the fancy arises. Standout tracks include: the heavy-rocking “New WorldOrder”, the blues-noir of “When the Moon Goes to Shinin'”, the New Orleans(y)“Vampire's Kiss” and the terrific ‘50s sci-fi groove of “Alien Probe”.www.facebook.com/Picus-Maximuswww.picusmaximus.comPhil S.
