After what has felt like forever, Wet Leg have finally released their self-titled, debut album. Their quick emergence into one of the industry’s hottest acts has been about as unexpected as being able to sit through adverts of Young Sheldon, but there’s something about them that has got everybody on board. Fortunately, in spite of months of anticipation and with half the songs released as singles along the way, Wet Leg succeeds in showing you it was worth the wait.
The record kicks things off with ‘Being In Love’, which showcases the band’s blueprint. Laid back vocals are paired with equally chilled percussion to bring grooves that sinks into the mind, before guitars let loose that build huge walls of fuzz to create choruses with BEEF to them. It’s catchy and full of personality within the lyrics, setting off the spiralling mindset of manoeuvring through the mid-20s and everything in between.
‘Chaise Longue’ follows but what else is there to say that hasn’t been said already? It’s silly imagery and multiple opportunities to sing equally silly lyrics out loud are ridiculous, but it succeeds in being light-hearted and a little bit naughty. The lead melody backed by driving drums is honestly one of the catchiest sections I’ve heard all year. It is a bizarre, brilliant song.
But where the one-notedness of ‘Chaise Longue’ put Wet Leg on the map, the rest of the album is allowed to flesh it out with all sorts of twists and turns. The resigned tone of ‘I Don’t Wanna Go Out’ heads into a haze of psychedelic chords that combats against the onslaught of self-deprecation that flows endlessly through the speakers, before being rejuvenated onto the road trip of the anthemic, telling-it-like-it-is ‘Wet Dream’.
‘Convincing’ sounds like it could fit in on any Angel Olsen record, before ‘Loving You’ contributes a kind of off-beat Grease cut that probably could’ve appeared on Twin Peaks at some point. It’s lackadaisical rhythm and group harmonies could float into the atmosphere endlessly, before ‘Ur Mum’ comes back to bring some directness into proceedings again.
Wet Leg is a superb album that proves that the hype surrounding the act is absolutely justified. It does a great job at adding some depth to their sound, complimenting the straight up hits with deeper cuts that allow other parts to sing a little. It perfectly encapsulates the confusion and aimless fall into your mid to late 20s. Feeling like a child but suddenly thrown into the world of adults, while still keeping pretty tongue-in-cheek about the whole thing. It is great.