Wet Leg - Wet Leg

Reviews of the band Wet Leg's self-titled 2022 debut album, Wet Leg, generally praise its blend of witty, sarcastic lyrics with catchy indie-rock and post-punk sounds, influenced by '90s and '00s artists. The album, featuring breakout singles "Chaise Longue" and "Wet Dream," was seen as an exciting, somewhat conventional take on the indie scene, marked by its infectious energy and exploration of modern life. Critics noted the band's ability to create an instantly recognizable sound, though some felt the consistently anthemic choruses could become tiring when listening to the album front-to-back. 

It’s not often an upholstered piece of furniture, supermarkets and the healing power of a humble bubble bath are recognised, but these — and other insights into modern life — are explored in the debut effort of the Isle of Wight indie-rock duo Wet Leg. The relatively unknown duo caused a stir in the music world last year when they dropped two bombshell singles ‘Chaise Longue’ and ‘Wet Dream’ in quick succession, blowing up on an international scale with their post-punk guitar-laden tracks littered with sarcastic one-liners and a sense of fun we were all craving amongst global chaos. Their first album is more of the same edgy rock which certainly packs a punch.

Opener ‘Being In Love’ is a delicate rock track with honeyed vocals, where vocalist Rhian Teasdale likens anxiety to the familiar sensation of falling for someone: “I lost my appetite /I cannot sleep at night /I cannot concentrate /I do not feel too great /The world is caving in /And I’m kinda struggling /But I kinda like it ’cause it feels like being in love.” Whilst the band might be known for their witty one-liners, this track feels more personal and insightful- a step away from the sense of fun present in their earlier singles. ‘Being in Love’ is followed by ‘Chaise Longue’, the breakout single with post-punk riffs and undeniably catchy (if slightly absurd) lyrics like “Is your mother worried? Would you like us to assign someone to worry your mother?”. 

Sliding through the jangly sound of ‘Angelica’ and the softer Bowie/Nirvana riffed ‘I Don’t Wanna Go Out’, we reach ‘Wet Dream’. ‘Wet Dream’ is full of thumping drums and roaring guitar beats, a cheeky nod to exes with their trademark humour laced in the vocal harmonies. Reflecting on exes, the band use fun instrumentals and the repeated refrain “3,2,1, let’s begin” to grab the listener’s attention for the second half of the album. On ‘Convincing’, things start off with a casual drawl and gradually build to become a tonally different, yet equally exciting track. Things veer off to almost ballad territory with ‘Loving You’, with only little pokes of humour “I hope you choke on your girlfriend” there to remind the listener this is still a Wet Leg record.

‘Ur Mum’ and ‘Oh No’ bring fun back to the album, with plenty of witty one-liners laced throughout. Things take a moody, scathing turn on ‘Piece of Shit’, a not quite aligning jigsaw of soft instrumentals and harsh lyrics “Yeah, like a piece of shit you either sink or float/So you take her for a ride on your daddy’s boat.” The penultimate track ‘Supermarket’ is a stand-out, with the hushed vocals and soft, bluesy guitars laced throughout. Aside from the previously released singles, this is the one that’s guaranteed to pack a punch live. Album closer ‘Too Late Now’ is a mingling of jangly guitars and almost whispering vocals, taking swipes at big companies, apps and the highs and lows of modern lives.

Wet Leg might be enjoying a meteoric rise in the music world but, through the well-produced pop-punk tracks of their debut effort, they bring themselves back down to earth. They might be prairie dress-wearing women changing the face of the genre but at the heart of the band (and their debut effort) is just two friends having fun, something you really get a sense of from Wet Leg.

Ripped to MP3

1.Being In Love

2.Chaise Longue

3.Angelica

4.I Don't Wanna Go Out

5.Wet Dream

6.Convincing

7.Loving You

8.Ur Mum

9.Oh No

10.Piece of Shit

11.Supermarket

12.Too Late Now