We’ve been chasing a Wet Leg Tiny Desk ever since the Isle of Wight band floored us with the 2021 single “Chaise Longue,” a song that, like much of the group’s work, is as understated and droll as it is frenetic and infectious.
So, when we finally got Wet Leg into the office to record this performance, we weren’t surprised by the amount of playful swagger the band brought, or by how carefully calibrated the set was. But fans might be surprised by how much Wet Leg leans into that more understated side. You won’t hear “Chaise Longue” or “Catch These Fists,” the ripping first single from the upcoming album, moisturizer. Instead, singer Rhian Teasdale and the rest of the band chose to spotlight the album’s core themes: the joy of being in love in a state of bliss.
That’s not to say it’s a quiet or entirely restrained set. The band opens with “CPR,” a heady alarm about obsession and the ways unchecked love can dismantle you, followed by a preview of the not-yet-released “mangetout” from moisturizer. They also perform the carefree, sunny-day single “davina mccall,” a showcase for Teasdale’s gorgeous voice, before closing with another unreleased track from moisturizer — and one the band says it’s never played live for anyone before — a languid, dreamy ode to the enduring power of love called “11:21.”
SET LIST
- “CPR”
- “mangetout”
- “davina mccall”
- “11:21”
MUSICIANS
- Rhian Teasdale: vocals, guitar
- Hester Chambers: guitar, keys, background vocals
- Joshua Mobaraki: guitar, synth, MPC, background vocals
- Ellis Durand: bass, background vocals
- Henry Holmes: drums, background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Robin Hilton
- Director/Editor: Kara Frame
- Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
- Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
- Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern
- Audio Engineer: Neil Tevault
- Production Assistant: Dora Levite
- Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
- Copy Editor: Hazel Cills
- Tiny Desk Team: Lars Gotrich, Ashley Pointer
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
- VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins