Wet Leg’s Chaise Longue: University, Sex and Living Room Furniture

Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers of Wet Leg were on a ferris wheel during a music festival and decided to move from being a folk band to try this indie rock thing. What came next was the smash hit Chaise Longue and one of their biggest fans being Iggy Pop. This meteoric rise may have you saying…”Hmmm…another indie one hit wonder…” Even though I don’t know what the next record will be, I can say that the rest of this record is great with some bangers…so I think they will avoid the one hit wonder label.

Musically, the track is tight and you can hear the musical talent behind it. The keyboards and glittery indie guitar is what you would expect, but the bass and the studio band really nails this track down. It is not too far outside of the indie rock lane, but it delivers and the quiet verse / loud chorus works well. Much like the lyrics, the music is fun and clever.

Where this song excels is in the lyrics. The endless innuendos about sex, like “butter your muffin,” are clever and fun. Moreover, the vocal is reminiscent of Brigitte Bardot on Bonnie and Clyde, which is one of the coolest songs ever made. Bardot has this delivery that radiates a sense of coolness that she is almost too hip for the song itself and has this disinterested vocal that is instantly compelling. Wet Leg embodies this hip cheekiness in how they dryly and dispassionately regale you with sexual innuendo. It has a tongue in cheek nature to it that’s fun and interesting.

I really like this track. I admit that Wet Leg will probably not be for everyone. Some my find it too poppy, while others may not connect with the flat / cool vocal style. I think it is fresh and fun to have a song where you can giggle about someone asking if they want their muffin buttered.

Listen to Chaise Longue