Album: Motley – Hairy Nandies

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Motley is a funny man. You don’t need to look any further than the cover of his Hairy Nandies EP for proof, where he can be seen clad in a centaur costume (half-man half-horse) walking down what appears to be a suburban street. While his contributions to DJ Peril’s 2006 release King of the Beats failed to leave a lasting impression on me, he more than makes up for it on this largely entertaining nine-track release.

Indicative of his comedic style, Motley takes a 1930/40s swing tune, adds some 808 drums and morphs it into the humorous party jam Bounce Bounce. This gives him the opportunity to deliver tongue-in-cheek lines like, “Now that I’m famous, I got the license to be an anus” and “got a treat for that arse, call me St. Nicholas/they’re staring at my 12-inch like, that’s ridiculous!”

The UK-bred entertainer capably takes on the majority of the board duties on Hairy Nandies, although it is a welcome change of pace when two of Australia’s elite join him on the production tip.

Weapon X and Motley prove to be a solid combination on the fantastically bouncy Save Some Time. Meanwhile, former DMC champ DJ Samrai provides the minimalist boom-bap for Catch Up, which while being solid somewhat misses the mark.

The globetrotting MC gets listeners up to speed on his intriguing life with UK. Over an oriental inspired backdrop Motley talks about performing and moving between countries, taking us from the United Kingdom (London, Manchester, Glasgow and others), to his current residence, Australia (Melbourne specifically).

The good times are put on hold for a moment on the somber Lucky People. Over a classic drum loop and a simple piano bed, Motley sheds some light on the lives of the less fortunate and makes the listener consider how lucky they may have it. The childrens choir on the chorus lays the sentimentality on a bit too thick though.

The main fault displayed throughout Hairy Nandies is the ability to craft entirely coherent hooks, which are largely uninspired and do not compliment either the production or lyrics very well; the biggest example of this would be the opening cut My Level.

Ultimately, Hairy Nandies stands as an entertaining and promising debut release, as Motley proves his ability to rock the mic and establishes his likable and infectious personality. Hairy thumbs up!

Available through Hooded Ink