The duo lives up to the hype

wet leg

wet leg
picture: Holly Fernando

wet leg Apparently out of nowhere last year, he signed to Big Domino in June 2021. When the duo – lead singer and guitarist Ryan Tisdale and lead guitarist and backing vocalist Hester Chambers (accompanied by Henry Holmes on drums, Ellis Durand on bass and Joshua Omead) Mobarak on guitar and synths) – She released her first single, “Chaise Longue”, and the song became a sensation.

In spite of rumors swirling, Wet leg is not an industry factory. Teasdale and Chambers don’t have famous parents either; The duo got attention so quickly mostly through word of mouth (signing Domino sure helped too). The band released six singles prior to the album’s arrival: “Chaise Longue”, “Angelica”, “Wet Dream”, “Too Late Now”, “Oh No” and “Ur Mum”. They were all great in their own way, but the songs kept for recording feature some of Wet Leg’s best work to date. This is a long-awaited rare debut album that lives up to the hype.

The album begins with “Being In Love,” a sweet ballad with sweet vocals, where Teasdale likened her extreme anxiety to the feeling of falling in love with someone: “I’ve lost my appetite / I can’t sleep at night / I can’t focus / I don’t feel very good / The world It succumbs inward / and I kind of suffer / But I kind of like it because it feels like I’m in love.”

Tisdale is a talented songwriter, who can easily capture feelings that are hard to describe in words. There’s the phrase “I don’t want to go out,” which perfectly captures that point in your late twenties where you’re too young to give up on your aspirations, yet still feel tired and frustrated. “It used to be so much fun and now it’s all so dumb / I wish I cared / And now I’m almost 28 / Still getting rid of my stupid face / A silly nightmare / I know I should care / Now I don’t ‘It doesn’t matter,'” Tisdale sings.While the lyrics are depressing, the music is a stunningly fine contrast, synths and backing vocals giving the track an ethereal touch; angels seem to welcome you into the pearly gates of heaven.

“Loving You” is another track penned by Teasdale – a majestic number based on guitar-playing about the disappointment of fallout with someone playing with her feelings – despite having a new partner for them. Teasdale sounds sweet because it says it all so honestly: “I don’t want to stay friends / I don’t want to pretend / I don’t want to meet your girlfriend / I hope you’re choking on your girlfriend / When you call 999 / They cut the line on you.”

The theme continues in the song titled “Piece Of Shit,” a song that’s also pared down compared to the effervescent singles, with Teasdale choosing to be the bigger one and not have to deal with someone abusing her: “Do you want me to cry? It’s OK. Like I might die.” ? Alright. You’re a good guy. Alright. All right, whatever helps you sleep at night,” she sings. The Whit League’s toughest lyrics come in the cutest songs; It’s a stark contrast that makes them even more attractive.

But even when Teasdale articulates her feelings, it doesn’t drain the band’s humorous words. “Ur Mom”, a bouncy pop song, asks her ex-boyfriend to call, and asks them to forget her. There’s no need to be eloquent about it: “Yeah, why don’t you suck my dick,” she retaliates, while pointing out why she can’t stay in the dynamic. And this hilarious frustration reaches breaking point, as Tisdale announces she’s been practicing “the loudest shriek,” counting to three before letting out a shriek.

There is a huge difference between the way Teasdale and Chambers approach songwriting. While Teasdale seems to enjoy taking a more literal approach, writing emotionally charged words that feel like eavesdropping on an intimate conversation with a friend — or, in some cases, the kinds of risky texts that make you want to put your phone across the room right after sending — Chambers keeps To write her songs in an abstract and absurd manner.

The only song Chambers wrote for this album without taking shared credit for Teasdale is “Convincing” (“It’s Not Fun” only written by Chambers, but appears only on the deluxe version). On this track, Chambers’ voice takes on a sexy sound reminiscent of Lana Del Rey. “Do you think other girls would mind if I also went swimming at night/at the beach/wet feet/bioluminous plankton shit,” she mused. Chambers’ voice is as beautiful as Teasdale, and it leaves you wanting to hear more.

The real magic of the record comes in the moments when Chambers and Teasdale share songwriting duties, both of whom have dirty sense of humor. Take the single lead “Chaise Longue”: The I mean girls The reference works in no small part thanks to Teasdale’s droll connection. With a monotonous tone that could rival Margot Tenenbaum, Teasdale sounds great as she sings some of the silliest lyrics imaginable, including the opening lines ‘Mom, Dad, look at me / I went to school and got a degree / All my friends call it ‘Big D’ / Went to school and got a D.”

One of the biggest highlights is the pleasurably skewed “wet dream”. Wet Leg clearly enjoys not taking himself too seriously, and in this ridiculously catchy tune, Teasdale and Chambers chime in with their filthy photos: “You go up on the hood and lick the windshield / I’ve never seen anything obscene.” Wet Leg plays a lot through Introducing different genres into their guitar-based music, and in the case of “Wet Dream”, the band makes a disco ballad. The rhythm guitar shines best when paired with rhythm, as Tisdale repeats the peppy phrase “Enough, that’s enough, enough, enough (to blush the girl)”; It is contagious and lively.

Then there’s “Angelica,” a very spin-off with sparkling guitar that talks about the embarrassment of attending parties while feeling socially anxious. Lyrics “I don’t even know what to do here / I’m told there’s going to be free beer / I don’t want to follow you on my ‘gram nails / I don’t want to listen to your band” What it means to have to mingle with people you don’t associate with; what seems charming from afar often What feels uncomfortable on the inside.

Even when it comes to tracks that are noticeably fainter compared to the others, there are no dull moments wet leg. With a winning pairing of two amazing guitarists and excellent songwriting, this is an almost flawless introduction. The record has a great selection of songs, and it’s really exciting to wait for what the Whit League comes with next.

See also  Patrick Stewart was happy Tom Hardy was proven wrong after 'strange' behavior on the Star Trek set

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *