“He don’t get puss, he get the boot”
When Wet Leg, the Isle Of Wight’s most sardonic artist, debuted in 2022 with their self-titled debut, they didn’t so much storm as motor, in a monotonal way, into the indie scene. Their rise seemed unlike anything else, with their debut single ‘Chaise Longue’ not only serving as a perfect introduction to the band, but also a new take on a genre constantly on the throws of innovation.
Wet Leg are a band that seem incessant on picking apart every aspect of normal life, and particularly, love. How romantic. And that impression seems to linger on Opener ‘CPR’, as lead singer Rhian Teasdale finds herself in a love so infatuating that it’s left her needing medical attention. I can’t say if that’s romantic to me, but everyone’s got their kicks.
See, Wet Leg have a much different approach to love. To the majority, love is a big grand show, it’s a spectacle. And at the centre of said spectacle is said artist and their unassumed lover. Wet Leg on the other hand, don’t see love as overwrought. Love is best kept simple. It leads to Wet Leg’s portrayal of love sometimes coming across as stereotypical and lax, again displaying the band’s knack for focusing on the apparent normalcies of love.
What also aids Wet Leg, is a new sense of boldness. Both on record and stage, Rhian has found herself being more front-facing and distinct. So, when you listen to the punky ‘catch these fists’, you can totally imagine Rhian flexing her muscles ready to lay a beatdown. Or the sensual ‘Pillow Talk’, as she lists all the things she want to do with someone in quite unfiltered fashion. Again, it’s simple and to the point.
But in-between the smackdowns, Rhian keeps up the sapphic love songs that have become the beloved product of Wet Leg. ‘Pokémon’ is a “let’s drive fast and far away, just me and you babe” song, but it plays off well, with Rhian conveying a strong, deep love for her partner. ‘Don’t Speak’ is an intimate track about the power of conveying love for one another through other methods, a line like “I can say “I love you” just by looking in your eyes” indicates, if you haven’t picked up by now, that Rhian is deeply, deeply in love.
’11:21’, the penultimate track on moisturizer, is the first breath of fresh air the album takes, it’s slowed down significantly, and is a song about longing, Rhian’s partner being gone for maybe even just a sole day, but that deep connection has drawn her desires even further. Closer ‘u and me at home’ draws on the seeming familiarity of the relationship Rhian is entangled with, both Rhian and her partner are just chilling at home, not caring too much about the world outside them, but having just enough care to love each other profoundly. I think that may be the best summary of what Wet Leg are all about.
If Wet Leg’s debut was a moped, moisturizer is a 500cc Motorcycle. It’s a bolting, thundering record of love and both its unforgettable qualities and the never-ending nature of some of life’s more “normal” qualities. But amidst the band’s snarky tone, Wet Leg display that love is perhaps at its most expressive when things are kept simple.
Wet Leg: Moisturizer – Out 11 July 2025 (Domino)
