Wet Leg : Moisturizer
If you have missed the hype building up to the release of Wet Leg’s Moisturizer, then let’s get you caught up. The group, formed in the Isle of Wight, shift sub-genres of punk rather casually throughout their sophomore album, from new wave to indie rock to post-punk, with more traditional punk only hinted at subtly. Singer Rhian Teasdale has a detached apathy in her voice that carries a unique appeal. Their angular lead single “Catch These Fists” has a guitar riff that might bring St. Vincent to mind, rocking out a little harder as Teasdale purrs more than croons.
The palm-muted drone of the guitars holding “davina mccall” together gives the vocals more room; it cruises along a sugary power pop tension that continues into “Jennifer’s Body” which carries a similar sugary power pop tension. They inject more traditional rock ‘n’ roll attitude into the shuffle of “Mangetout.” With the bulk of the songs, the formula seems to be making the hushed cadence of Teasdale’s voice the focal point but giving her the space to do her thing, with more sonic flourishes added from there. With “Pond Song” this allows for more dynamics to build, as the recoil/expand formula gives way to a louder jangle as they cut loose.
There is more of an ’80s post-punk feel to the drums on “Pokemon,” with Teasdale singing in a higher register for the chorus that in part contributes to this being one of the album’s better songs. “Pillow Talk” comes closer to punk, with grungy guitars that feed into a more aggressive chorus, and I’ll confess: I went into this album expecting more of this kind of sound. Meanwhile, “Don’t Speak” is a boozy take on indie rock that shimmies along, while “11:21” is moodier and more sonically interesting, before closer “U and Me at Home” kicks in the door and celebrates like a party anthem. You certainly can’t accuse Wet Leg of repeating themselves.
Moisturizer is a less confrontational album than “Catch These Fists“ might have led you to believe it was going to be, less guarded and more personal. Yet they do so through a more mature lens. From here, you can imagine a logical progression for their third album to go in more of a pop direction. But if anything, they delivered a sophomore album that’s less mainstream, building on their successful self-titled debut while allowing themselves room to grow as a band. There’s an effortlessness to Moisturizer, like they banged these tracks out in the studio with ease, leaving all the overthinking to the marketing department.
Label: Domino
Year: 2025
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Wet Leg : Moisturizer
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