Wet Leg - Moisturizer. Cassette
Isle of Wight quintet Wet Leg’s self-titled debut was a post-breakup knockout — a blast of blistering indie rock packed with an almost overflowing amount of charm and sass. It was hard not to be swept up by the then-two-piece. Three years on, they’ve moved forward and done a thematic 180 with their follow-up, Moisturizer. they’re in love... sort of.
Initially sounding unsure about it all (even going so far as to call an ambulance for herself on “CPR”) frontwoman Rhian Teasdale eventually locks in, ready to embrace this love. She’s seemingly liberated, embracing her newfound queerness and gender fluidity, singing, “Want a man, I’ll pretend for you.” She’s in love, but on her own terms.
While not entirely throwing away the sound that made them an overnight sensation, Moisturizer feels like Wet Leg giving themselves a fresh coat of paint and driving off into the night with no destination in sight, just the thrill of the ride.
Still embodying their cheeky, off-the-cuff take on early 2000s-era post-punk-washed indie rock and angular neo-grunge — filtered through their own unique lens — the new album carries a profound sense of purpose and confidence that many bands would kill for. Any worries of second-album blues can be dismissed entirely. With Moisturizer, Wet Leg wear their emotional psyche on their sleeves — for better or worse — and embrace their role as one of the most exciting bands in indie rock today.
For fans of Bloc Party, Dry Cleaning & Fontaines D.C
