moisturizer by Wet Leg

Wet Leg moisturizer

78
ChoruScore
18 reviews
Jul 11, 2025
Release Date
Domino Recording Co
Label

Wet Leg's moisturizer arrives as a bolder, cheekier second record that turns the duo's sardonic wit toward unexpectedly frank affection and muscular hooks. Across professional reviews, critics say the best songs on moisturizer balance lust, bruised tenderness and garage-punk energy, making the album feel both live-wired and newly expansive.

The critical consensus awards moisturizer a 77.76/100 consensus score across 18 professional reviews, with reviewers consistently flagging “CPR”, “catch these fists” and “mangetout” as standout tracks. Critics praise the record's tradeoff between playful cruelty and genuine vulnerability: “CPR” is repeatedly cited for its ambulance-siren urgency and sleazy bass, “catch these fists” for its punkish punch and confrontational humor, and “mangetout” for dance-punk momentum and cocky swagger. Reviewers also point to quieter triumphs like “davina mccall” and “11:21” where Teasdale stretches into more confessional, Kate Bush or Björk-tinged vocal territory, signaling musical growth beyond their debut.

While most critics applaud the expanded, meatier sound and on-tour cohesiveness, some note lingering irony versus sincerity tensions: praise for sardonic, riot-grrrl attitude coexists with admiration for newfound tenderness. That balance - of romantic vulnerability rubbing up against cheeky menace and seaside English flavors - is why reviewers agree the album is worth listening to, and why searches for "moisturizer review" or "best songs on moisturizer" repeatedly land on the same handful of tracks. Below, detailed reviews unpack how Wet Leg sharpened their pop hooks without losing their insolent core.

Critics' Top Tracks

The standout songs that made critics take notice

1

CPR

16 mentions

"The album pounds into action with the grinding guitars and sirens of “CPR”."
The Independent (UK)
2

catch these fists

17 mentions

"“He don’t get puss he get the boot,” sneers Rhian Teasdale on “Catch These Fists”"
The Independent (UK)
3

mangetout

13 mentions

"Take “mangetout,” a buzzing, bitchy anthem"
Paste Magazine
The album pounds into action with the grinding guitars and sirens of “CPR”.
T
The Independent (UK)
about "CPR"
Read full review
16 mentions
86% sentiment

Track Ratings

How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.

View:
1

CPR

16 mentions
100
02:50
2

liquidize

12 mentions
76
02:27
3

catch these fists

17 mentions
100
03:08
4

davina mccall

17 mentions
83
03:47
5

jennifer's body

9 mentions
49
02:26
6

mangetout

13 mentions
89
03:24
7

pond song

14 mentions
61
02:58
8

pokemon

12 mentions
77
03:26
9

pillow talk

15 mentions
80
02:56
10

don’t speak

13 mentions
35
03:13
11

11:21

13 mentions
60
03:46
12

u and me at home

12 mentions
71
04:01

What Critics Are Saying

Deep insights from 20 critics who reviewed this album

Critic's Take

Wet Leg approach moisturizer with the same dry wit but shifted toward affection, and the best songs - notably “CPR”, “11:21” and “catch these fists” - underline that change. Finlayson writes with a sardonic warmth, noting how the band trade their sandpaper humour for something gooey yet still scathing, which makes the best tracks stand out as both intimate and sharp. He highlights “11:21” as a surprising, perfume-like turn and praises the muscular opening of “CPR” for its sleazy bass and strut. The result is an album whose best songs balance buoyant love songs with the band’s ingrained ire, making queries for "best songs on moisturizer" point squarely to those moments.

Key Points

  • The best song is highlighted for marrying muscular performance with sleazy bass and a confident strut, exemplified by "CPR".
  • The album’s core strengths are its blend of sardonic wit and open-hearted love songs, plus muscular playing that deepens the sound.

Themes

love sardonic wit queer identity male critique playful cultural references

Critic's Take

Wet Leg make a convincing case that the best songs on moisturizer are where vulnerability and strange humor collide, notably “liquidize” and “pond song”. The reviewer praises how “liquidize” frames romance as a dizzy playground game and how “pond song” builds to an explosive singalong chorus. Tender moments like “davina mccall” and “11:21” show Teasdale stretching her voice into Fiona Apple/Björk territory, which is where the record truly shines. Overall, the album trades novelty for emotional clarity, making searches for the best tracks on moisturizer point to these quieter, ambitious moments.

Key Points

  • The best song(s) blend earnest vulnerability with Wet Leg’s surreal humor, especially on "liquidize" and "pond song".
  • The album’s core strengths are Teasdale’s malleable vocals, sharper songwriting, and a richer, more expansive sound.

Themes

romantic vulnerability queer discovery balance of humor and earnestness expanded, meatier sound

Critic's Take

Wet Leg’s moisturizer finds its best songs in moments of sharp contradiction, where affection and contempt collide. The reviewer latches onto opener “CPR” and singles like “catch these fists” as proof that the best tracks on moisturizer turn love into a contact sport, mixing ambulance-siren drama with gleeful nastiness. “mangetout” and “davina mccall” are praised for lyrical ingenuity and flirtatious melody, showing why listeners asking "best songs on moisturizer" should start there. Even softer turns such as “11:21” register as surprising high points, demonstrating the band’s expanding range without surrendering their strangeness.

Key Points

  • The best song(s) blend affection and aggression, with “CPR” and “catch these fists” turning love into confrontational art.
  • The album’s core strength is its ability to remain strange and inventive while expanding into gentler and more pensive territory.

Themes

love and desire self-effacement irony and humor young-adult existentialism playful cruelty

Critic's Take

Wet Leg return with moisturizer, and the best tracks - notably “CPR” and “liquidize” - showcase their knack for witty lyrics and punchy hooks. The review revels in the duo's absurd, tongue-in-cheek voice, praising “CPR” as a gut-punch love song and highlighting “liquidize” for its stripped-back melody and confessional lines. Elsewhere, “jennifer's body” and “pokemon” prove the band can pivot between indie sarcasm and outright pop without losing edge. The narrative reads like a proud witness to a band who have sharpened their sardonic charm into undeniable, singalong moments.

Key Points

  • “CPR” is the best song because it combines a gut-punch love lyric with quirky vocals and a staggering rhythm.
  • The album’s core strengths are witty, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, varied vocal performances, and confident shifts between indie and pop textures.

Themes

love lust sarcasm quirky lyrics vocal display

Critic's Take

Wet Leg sound bolder and giddier on moisturizer, where the best songs - notably “Davina McCall” and “Pillow Talk” - relish gooey, horny romance with surreal turns. Rhian Daly writes with that wry, observant pop-critic voice, spotting how Teasdale’s coos make tracks like “Davina McCall” utterly swooning while “Pillow Talk” detonates desire. The record balances quieter conflicted moments on “CPR” with vicious payback in “Catch These Fists”, making the best tracks stand out for emotional range and memorable lines. Overall, moisturizer is a smarter, sexier and stronger follow-up that keeps the listener hooked on its top songs.

Key Points

  • The best song is standout because it pairs swooning lyrics with memorable, quotable lines that embody the album’s romantic core.
  • The album’s core strengths are its mix of surreal romance, vivid desire, and sharper moments of anger that expand the band’s palette.

Themes

love and romance surrealism desire and lust anger at men growth from debut

Critic's Take

Helen Brown’s voice stays gleefully combative across moisturizer, crowning tracks like “Catch These Fists” and “CPR” as the album’s best songs for their muscular hooks and confrontational punch. She savours Rhian Teasdale’s sneering delivery on “Catch These Fists” and the climactic confession in “CPR”, while also noting the tender swoon of “Davina McCall” and the lovely drift of “11:21” that deepen the record. The review reads like a seaside dispatch - equal parts scuzzy fun and real feeling - arguing that the best tracks on moisturizer balance gonzo hooks with surprising vulnerability. Overall Brown presents Wet Leg as an original British band whose uncanny electricity makes these songs standouts rather than one-off hits.

Key Points

  • “Catch These Fists” is best for its sneering delivery, confrontational lyrics and gonzo hooks that define the album’s aggressive charm.
  • The album’s core strengths are its blend of muscular post-punk energy, playful menace, and surprising moments of tender melody.

Themes

confrontation with men playful menace romantic longing seaside/English coastal vibe post-punk energy

Critic's Take

Wet Leg's moisturizer finds its best tracks in the bruised tenderness of “CPR” and the snarling urgency of “catch these fists”, songs that show the band stretching their off-kilter charm into something more vulnerable. The record's smartest moments - notably “liquidize” and “pond song” - trade bite for goofy devotion and fresh perspectives on love. Chambers' turn on the tender “davina mccall” and the intimate closer “u and me at home” underline how moisturizer works as a collaborative, emotionally frank step forward.

Key Points

  • The best song is best because it blends vulnerability with darker, urgent musicality, exemplified by “CPR”.
  • The album's core strengths are its candid exploration of love and queerness, and the band’s newfound collaborative energy.

Themes

love and vulnerability queerness and self-discovery eccentricity vs earnestness band collaboration live energy

Critic's Take

Wet Leg arrive on moisturizer with a restless, sharper edge that makes the best songs - “CPR”, “Liquidize” and “Davina McCall” - land with real purpose. The review leans into their renewed fervour and playful self-awareness while celebrating tender moments like “Davina McCall” and the sugary-sweet hook of “Pokemon”. The reviewer frames these tracks as the clearest examples of a band grown into artistry, mixing punkish attitude and delicate emotion in the record's strongest passages.

Key Points

  • “CPR” is best for capturing the record’s unrestrained quirks and opening momentum.
  • The album’s strengths are renewed fervour, playful self-awareness and moments of genuine tenderness.

Themes

renewal playful self-awareness romance and tenderness punkish attitude virality vs artistry

Critic's Take

Wet Leg return with moisturizer, an album where love is framed as a violent, irresistible force and the best tracks lean into that earnestness. The opener “CPR” lands with a sing-along immediacy, while lead single “catch these fists” is a riotous punk stomp that bridges the debut and this more sincere record. The closer “u and me at home” cheekily undercuts its own tenderness with a jokey line, but only to bolster the album's depth. Overall the best songs on moisturizer are those that trade irony for genuine feeling, making them the album's most memorable moments.

Key Points

  • The best song is the opener “CPR” because its sing-along final chorus encapsulates the album's earnest power.
  • The album's core strength is trading past irony for sincere, breezy songwriting that cements Wet Leg's staying power.

Themes

love as violent force sincerity and adoration laid-back slacker rock moving beyond irony

Critic's Take

Wet Leg return on moisturizer with a confident second album that foregrounds their best tracks while deepening emotional stakes. The review highlights standout songs like “Catch These Fists” and “Pond Song” as the best tracks on moisturizer, praising kinetic dance-punk energy and euphoric rock release. Richard Bowes writes in an exuberant, slightly sardonic tone that celebrates their playful vocals and sharper textures, making clear why these are the best songs on the record. Overall the album is punchier, prettier and more playfully perverse, preserving the band’s insolent charm while expanding their palette.

Key Points

  • “Catch These Fists” is best for its kinetic dance-punk energy and deadpan delivery that made it an excellent comeback single.
  • The album’s core strengths are playful, sardonic vocals, sharper textures, and a confident expansion into emotional vulnerability.

Themes

emotional vulnerability love songs sardonic outlook dance-punk energy 80s balladry

Critic's Take

Wet Leg's moisturizer arrives as a confident, hook-stuffed follow-up that makes its best tracks sing loudest: “CPR” sets the tone with gaspingly direct romance, while “Catch These Fists” and “Pillow Talk” deliver big, knowingly dumb garage riffs and savage, funny lyrics. Alexis Petridis writes with a relish for sharp vignettes and retro alt-rock textures, noting how songs such as “Pond Song” and “Pokemon” wear their 90s and 80s influences on their sleeve without undercutting the immediacy of the hooks. The result is an album that feels less like a panic over a debut's success and more like a deliberate reweaving of past sounds into irresistibly punchy pop-rock.

Key Points

  • CPR is the best song because it sets the album's tone with candid lines about romance and expressive delivery.
  • The album's core strengths are punchy hooks, witty lyrics, and skilful reworking of 90s alt-rock and 80s pop influences.

Critic's Take

Wet Leg keep their bratty wit and club-ready hooks on moisturizer, and the best songs here - especially “Mangetout” and “CPR” - turn that cheeky sarcasm into full-on dance-punk triumphs. The reviewer loves how “Mangetout” is a "damn-near perfect dance-punk summer jam," its pulsing rhythm and brazen confidence making it one of the best tracks on moisturizer. Likewise, “CPR” is praised for turning lust into a medical emergency with ambulance-siren synth hooks, marking it as another standout. Even the album's brash bangers like “Jennifer's Body” and “Liquidize” keep Moisturizer fast, frisky, and eager to get people on the floor.

Key Points

  • The best song, "Mangetout," is praised as a perfect dance-punk summer jam with pulsing rhythm and brazen confidence.
  • The album's core strengths are its bratty humor, dance-oriented guitar rush, and relentless, club-ready energy.

Themes

dance-punk sex and lust punk feminist sarcasm clubbing and partying romantic humor

Critic's Take

Wet Leg keeps their snark but leans into love on moisturizer, and the best tracks show that shift vividly. “CPR” stands out for its slippery move from grooving dance to cacophonous rock, while “Catch These Fists” and “Pillow Talk” supply the album's pure fury and garage-punk bite. Jeremy Lukens praises how Teasdale balances affectionate lines with barbs, making these songs the best tracks on moisturizer because they marry sing-along hooks to ruthless attitude. The record’s highs come when melody and aggression collide, which is exactly what makes these songs memorable and the album a worthy step forward.

Key Points

  • The best song, “CPR”, is best for its dramatic shift from danceable groove to cacophonous rock and candid admission of love.
  • The album’s core strengths are its balance of melodic hooks and aggressive, witty lyricism that keeps affection laced with barbs.

Themes

love and relationships anger and vitriol humor and cynicism melodic soft rock vs aggressive rock sexuality and hookup culture

Critic's Take

Wet Leg's moisturizer finds the duo amplified and armoured, and its best tracks - “Catch These Fists”, “Mangetout” and “U And Me At Home” - show how they have turned mischief into muscle. Victoria Segal writes with an amused, incisive relish, celebrating the pugnacious swing of “Catch These Fists” and the agile spite of “Mangetout”, while admiring the joyous reorientation of “U And Me At Home” as a closing singalong. The record balances rage and romance, from the furious guitars of “CPR” to the Kate Bush inflected tenderness of “11:21”, and Segal's tone makes clear these are songs that both hit and haunt. Overall, the album is praised as a stranger, suppler, and decisively stronger second album that keeps Wet Leg's quietly subversive core intact.

Key Points

  • The best song is “Catch These Fists” for its pugnacious energy and cultural impact.
  • The album's core strengths are its emotional range and savvy blending of aggression, pop reference, and tenderness.

Themes

transition to maturity rage versus romance pop-cultural referencing touring and life on the road female empowerment

Critic's Take

Wet Leg sound unexpectedly tender on moisturizer, while still delivering the snark and punch that made them loved. The review highlights “Pond Song” as proof that Teasdale is “never been so deep in love,” and praises “CPR” for its hopped-up slashing guitars and chirpy synth accents. It also singles out “Mangetout” and “Don’t Speak” for their cocky strut and coy come-ons, showing why fans asking for the best songs on moisturizer will point to those tracks. Overall the album blends vulnerability and garage-punk hooks into some of Wet Leg's most emotionally vivid and still wildly fun moments.

Key Points

  • “CPR” is best for its hopped-up guitars, chirpy synths, and energetic hooks that exemplify the album’s garage-punk vigor.
  • The album’s core strengths are its blend of romantic vulnerability and cheeky, punchy garage-punk songwriting delivered with palpable fun.

Themes

romantic vulnerability cheeky humor garage-punk energy domesticity vs infatuation

Critic's Take

Wet Leg make a record that repeatedly names its best tracks while reveling in mischief and muscle: on moisturizer the urgent single “CPR” is the keening alarm, and the lithe, plaintive “11:21” is the album’s graceful peak. Fiona Shepherd’s voice stays delightedly analytical as she praises the bracing kick of “catch these fists” and the fizzing charm of “Pokemon”, arguing that the best songs on moisturizer trade in high-concept hooks and emotional bluntness. The review reads like a field report from Moisturizer Valley - affectionate, slightly sardonic, and convinced that these songs are the album’s beating heart.

Key Points

  • "CPR" is the standout for its urgent emotional hook and climactic delivery, marking it the album’s focal single.
  • The album’s core strengths are confident songwriting, dynamic garage/riot grrrl energy, and a playful, queer-inflected lyrical voice.

Themes

love as emergency queerness and gender play riot grrrl and garage rock dynamics isle of Wight locale and cultural references

Critic's Take

Wet Leg arrive with moisturizer confident and fiendishly fun, and the best tracks underline that shift: “liquidize” is effortlessly cool while “mangetout” rides a grungy momentum. The reviewer hears cohesive, tour-honed arrangements throughout, and singles like “liquidize” and “mangetout” stand out as the album's best tracks for balancing hooky rhythms with richer musicality. Even when Wet Leg reins things in on “davina mccall” the woozy melodies prove their range, so queries about the best songs on moisturizer point to those confident moments rather than instant bangers.

Key Points

  • The best song moments come from confident, hook-driven tracks like "liquidize" that balance rhythm and richer musicality.
  • The album's core strengths are cohesive arrangements honed by touring and a thematic focus on varied love songs.

Themes

love songs touring/cohesiveness musical growth indie rock revival influences
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Louder Than War

Unknown
Jul 6, 2025
86

Critic's Take

Wet Leg double down on their strengths on moisturizer, a breezy, confident set whose best songs - “Pokemon”, “Mangetout” and “Pillow Talk” - deliver both bite and sweetness in equal measure. Robert Plummer writes with amused authority, praising the band’s mid-paced neo-grunge and Teasdale’s breathy quips while pointing to moments of real warmth, notably on “Pokemon” where ’aural oxytocin’ is dispatched in spades. He highlights the ferocious putdowns of “Mangetout” and the furniture-inflected whimsy of “Pillow Talk” as the album’s focal pleasures. The record feels brave and confessional, a festival-ready collection that nonetheless adds late-night emotional range with songs like “11:21”.

Key Points

  • The best song, "Pokemon", is singled out as the album peak for its 1980s pop indebtedness and emotional rush.
  • The album's core strengths are confident, breezy neo-grunge, confessional lyrics, and sharp, female-led putdowns.

Themes

relationships female sexuality confessional lyrics furniture imagery indie neo-grunge