“Hello, 999 / What’s your emergency? Well, the thing is I, I, I, I, I…I’m in love” is both a lyric on the first track of Wet Leg’s moisturizer and acts as a thesis for the entire album. moisturizer explores the wide range of feelings that can emerge from romantic love: fear, disbelief, immense gratitude, bliss. The album is the band’s first in three years since their wildly successful debut self-titled record, released back in 2022. It is largely inspired by lead vocalist Rhian Teasdale’s experience with falling in queer love for the first time. This context clarifies the raw beauty of the record, the portrayal of a love that feels all-encompassing and new. The title, moisturizer, insinuates a necessary hydration.
Wet Leg was founded in 2019 by Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers and currently also includes Ellis Durand on bass, Henry Holmes on drums, and Joshua Mobaraki on guitar and synth. The band feels fully embodied on this record. All members have writing credits on the album, showcasing the band’s poetic lyricism.
moisturizer has twelve tracks, with three singles out prior to the album release– “CPR,” “catch these fists,” and “davina mccall.” Each single has a music video, with the band’s home of the Isle of Wight being the locale for all three (the “davina mccall” music video is animated, but still appears to take place on the island). Likely the funniest track, “catch these fists,” is about an unwanted advance from a man while on a night out—throwing up in your mouth a little bit after the attempted flirtation. The song was inspired by a real event Teasdale encountered after going out in London after seeing Chappell Roan perform. There is a cool riff during the chorus, and the video is charming and funny. “CPR” asks “is it love or suicide?” and the music video is shot with the band riding in a car, a full-on charm offensive, incredibly watchable and interesting.
“mangeout” has the most instantly memorable chorus. The chant of “get lost forever” sticks in the brain—it is both flirty and funny, and one of the album’s more pop-forward songs. My favorite track is the final, “u and me at home” which basks in the domestic bliss, how the most romantic things are often the most mundane. “pillowtalk” feels the most rock-heavy, the raunchiest of the bunch. The range of songs allow Teasdale to showcase her wide vocal ability.
In a recent interview, Teasdale talks of having sung of heartbreak, but not love in this way. At times the album feels like a balmy summer night, with songs that lyrically bask in the inexpressible beauty of being deep in love. “Liquidize” follows being struck down by love, the pure luck of it. “pond song” is one of the sweetest songs on the album, including saccharine lyrics such as “you’re so sweet even when you’re sour/you’re the sun and i’m the flower.” “pokemon,” is another favorite, a dreamy track with even dreamier lyricism. On “jennifer’s body” Rhian croons “go to sleep just so I can dream of you.”
Wet Leg’s NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert dropped yesterday and moisturizer is out at midnight EST. The band is currently touring throughout Europe until mid-August before hitting North America in September, including performances at Shaky Knees in Atlana, Ohana Festival in Dana Point, CA, and Austin City Limits in Austin.
Words by Caitlin Doherty for Staged Haze
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