Wet Leg’s Catch These Fists: Indie Rock Wants to Punch You in the Face

Wet Leg took the world by storm with Chaise Lounge in 2022. They are back with their lead single Catch These Fists off of their upcoming record Moisturizer. The question is, will Wet Leg be a one hit wonder? In short no, but the answer is more complicated than that. Let’s take a closer look at this follow-up record’s big single.

Musically, Wet Leg is building up the indie/punk formula that brought them so much success off of their debut record. Their classic Pixies / Nirvana – esque soft/loud song structure is perfected in this track. Verses are sung against a stripped back scaffolding of a killer bass line and rhythmic percussion. However, the track really shines in the loud hook. This is complete with driving drums, a super catchy guitar hook and some crunchy bass that even Kris Novoselic would be jealous of. On the surface, this may sound just like Chaise Lounge, but everything is turned up to 11 and super tight. This evolution shows how the band has grown from the previous record without totally throwing out their sound. Man, that hook is soooooo good.

Not only is the musicality on this track deeper than their previous work, but thematically Catch These Fists is more complex. Often bands/artists like Nirvana or Lorde are seen as all style and no substance on their initial records. Not only is this opinion uninformed and basic, later records showcase their true talent. Wet Leg follows this journey. Where Chaise Lounge was seen as a fun and sexy track with little depth, Catch These Fists dives into gender tropes and masculinity. The entire track, delivered in the nonchalant manner the band is known for, looks at how a man’s continuous attempts to hook up with the song’s protagonist are just gross. His slimy masculinity does not impress anyone, but instead induce vomit and a strong desire to punch him in the face. This is feminism Courtney Barnett style with a sharp punk edge.

Wet Leg’s latest single is very catchy and shows a band who is filling out their sound. This is not a as strong of a shift like we saw with Taylor Swift moving from Lover to folklore, but more like piece of your favourite chocolate cake getting a few extra layers and a scoop of ice cream. This is a great follow-up from the band and something fans will really gravitate towards. I am excited to check out the full record to see if they take some bigger risks. Having said that….I love getting more chocolate cake.

Listen to Catch These Fists