But when brought together as a quirky moniker they connote witty lyrics, infectious choruses and an unmatched stage presence. The duo – Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers – unlike most indie bands that claim overnight fame – genuinely came out of nowhere. Where “Chaise Longue” catapulted them into unprecedented success, “Wet Dream” concreted their place, even gaining the attention of pop king Harry Styles. Quickly following suit, their debut, self-titled record was the most anticipated release of 2022, but since then, the Isle of Wight has been silently simmering with the hushed plans of a successive record.
The confrontational “catch these fists” marked their first release in three years, and welcomed us back into their tongue-in-cheek lyrical world. It wasn’t long before the duo unveiled their second record, the love and lust filled, Moisturizer.
Leaving behind the softer soundscapes of the debut, “CPR”
enters a whole new space, decorated with drilling punk notes that
compares falling in love to an inescapable death sentence (“I took a
breath, jumped off the cliff / Because you told me to”). A gut-punch
love song successfully disguised in quirky ghostly vocals and a
staggering rhythm, Wet Leg beg for affection despite overt reservations
(“Put your mouth to mine and give me CPR”).
Stripped
back and melodic, “liquidize” takes a u-turn in the most literal sense.
Utilising acoustic guitars Wet Leg feign composure with regards to
jealousy (“I’m not that bothered / When you talk to those other guys /
Oh cross my heart and hope to die / Yeah I just told the biggest lie”).
The track explores total adoration and sees the return of nonsensical
lyrics (“How Could I Be Your One? Be your marshmallow worm?”) as
Teesdale contemplates being lovestruck before questioning her actions
(“the fuck am I doing”). On the track, Teesdale confesses: “I thought I
was straight all of my life until I met my current partner – these love
songs are about them. I just found it so much more interesting and
empowering to be writing love songs where I’m not lusting over a man –
it feels a little bit different.”
Gooey eyed and completely infatuated, the nod to the
indie-horror “jennifer’s body” follows suit with a punchy vocal
performance. Drilling and catchy, Teesdale admits she’s “in over her
head” as the duo explore crunching instrumentation that supports the
affectation of lines such as “You’re looking so cute / You’re giving
Jennifer’s body”.
Disgust reigns throughout “mangetout”. Drawn out and
uncompromising, this divorce in lyrical form demands to be left alone
“You’re in our way / You bottom feeder”. Eye-rolling sarcasm commands
attention (“A golden star / you think you’re clever?”, precedes cutting
remarks (“You’re washed up, irrelevant and standing in my light”) that
directly juxtapose the lighter instrumental delivery.
“Pokemon” tracks uncharted territory for Wet Leg – wholly
pop-princess with shrill, soaring vocals, they ditch their usually
indie-drenched sound for a more on-the-nose stereotypical love-song
approach. Still with their own unique edge, however, “pokemon” holds its
own on the record – showcasing the full extent of Teesdale’s vocal
abilities.
Getting more R-rated as the lyrics progress, “pillow talk”
begins with the sweet wishes of “Every night I hold my pillow / I wish I
was holding you”, before quickly diving into lust. “Don’t Speak”
however opts for a more cheesy declaration of love: ”Sweet baby girl we
go like salsa and Doritos”.
“U and me at home” ends the record on a bittersweet solemn
note. Although our heroine has found love, she’s still dragged under by
the weight of her own emotions “Sometimes I get so sad / And my blue
eyes fade to grey”. Beautifully poetic and perfectly Wet Leg, “u and me
at home” is the perfect, choral album closer.
Teeming with overt-love metaphors, insatiable lust and uncaring attitudes, Wet Leg walked so Moisturizer could run, and boy, did she run.
