Straight from the others side of our globe, comes Ashley Davies and his band. Being one of Australia’s most rewarded and innovative drummers, the man has a career spanning two decades full of dazzling credits including opening for people like Bob Dylan, Pattie Smith, Nick Cave, Cowboy Junkies, ZZ Top and tons of others!

Build from the drums up, Ashley Davis, recorded and wrote Muscle Drums Music 1 all by himself using two drum kits, a guitar and a harmonica!  No loops or samples where used during this tour the force! However for his Muscle Drums Music Part 2, Ashley called on some friends like Ross Irwin (trumpet), Jake Mason (Hammond, Piano), Craig Woodward (Banjo) & Shane O’Mara (Bass).

Opening track Mambo Wah Wah, starts out like some African tribal dance, but soon changes into a real sixties-like psychedelic groove! “C Special” is a nice intermezzo and on “This time”, the man changes his style and start to sing as well!  In all honestly this track is not as strong as the rest of the album.  “Hillbilly Hip Hop Shuffle” is the track to stop by!  A JSBX like tune, not confined to the boundaries of the Hillbilly genre , “Hillbilly Hip Hop shuffle” is the first real Alt.whatsoever tune on this record. Alternative blues, with a T.J. White inspired groove, and a dash of banjo picking and some fiddling!  A nice combination that embodies the power of this band!

When a drummer names his favourites, changes are small that he doesn’t come up with Gene Kruppa! “Jungle Drums Gene” is of course inspired by the great man, but Ashley Davies throws in some Bo Diddley rhythms as well, just to make the sound complete.  “Pistonshifter” sounds like Primus on the opening sequence but soon changes into alt.blues territories.  Closing down the album is “Tripling Tom Toms” on which Ashley is caught up in an excellent groove that could go on for ever! However seconds later they add some piano to it to change the mood from blues to Honky Tonk and back to blues with some extra slide guitar! 

Muscle drums Music 2 is a well played, enjoyable alternative to all kinds of dace music for those of you who like their sounds pounding. The songs are rich and textured and the rhythms are indeed toe-tapping! The only disappointment I had after listening to this album came from the fact I missed out on Muscle Drums Music 1, but that is something I can correct!

Mr. Blue Boogie.