Wet Leg’s Rhian Teasdale on the band who are “so good it hurts”
Few contemporary guitar bands have garnered quite as much attention as Wet Leg. The Isle of Wight duo only delivered their addictive debut single, ‘Chaise Longue’, in the summer of 2021, but just over a year later, they found themselves with a Grammy, a Brit and a Mercury Prize shortlist to their name.
Their impressively rapid rise to acclaim has been widely scrutinised, garnering industry plant accusations and opposing misogyny arguments in equal measure. Love them or hate them, there’s no denying that Wet Leg has forged some of the catchiest and most popular guitar music in recent memory. Their songs are almost entirely guitar-focused, with clean, repetitive riffs usually driving the music and contributing to its carefree catchiness.
Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, the duo who make up Wet Leg, are self-proclaimed guitar devotees. Speaking with Guitar World, Chambers shared their love for the instrument and the artists who have mastered it. The duo grew up listening to indie favourites The Strokes and Kings of Leon but suggested that it really “sparked something” in them when they saw bands like Big Thief.
Led by Adrianne Lenker, the Brooklyn-born indie folk outfit are known for their dense, sonic form of emotional catharsis. Between tender hits like ‘Paul’ and Lenker’s gorgeous solo songwriting, Big Thief are as much of an indie staple as Wet Leg, though they took their time to hone that reputation.
While the blunt, brash sound of Wet Leg may seem worlds away from the vulnerability espoused by Lenker and Buck Meek, Teasdale and Chambers are both huge admirers of Big Thief. Speaking with Brooklyn Vegan, Teasdale named both Lenker and Big Thief as “big inspirations” to her.
“From Masterpiece to the Two Hands, their music worms into my little heart and makes me feel all sad and happy at the same time,” she explained. She went on to share her love for their use of the guitar, more specifically, adding, “The guitar sounds they use are so good it hurts.”
She’s not exaggerating. On tracks like ‘Real Love’, they oscillate between intricate melodies and devastatingly dense noise to reflect the emotional intensity of their lyricism. Meanwhile, Lenker’s gentle fourth album layers soft strums with the sounds of paint brushes and pine tree needles. The Big Thief members have mastered the art of guitar music, tailoring it to the intent of each song.
Wet Leg isn’t alone in their admiration for Big Thief’s music – Lucy Dacus has even suggested that they’re the best band alive. They’re certainly one of the best bands in modern indie music, delivering consistently exquisite guitar tones more than worthy of the envy and admiration of their peers.
