Loose Lips - Last Laugh (2025)

To some, Hardy, Muller and Stahl (2025) might sound like an academic citation, to others like a law firm. But to a certain corner of the underground, those names click immediately: they’re members of The Unknowns, The Prize, Street Sweeper, Chubby and the Gang, and The Chats. When the three joined forces as Loose Lips, their debut EP had us buzzing—and counting down the days until the full-length. Now that Last Laugh is here, I’m glad to say it delivers on the hype.

Front to back, Last Laugh is pure, unfiltered rock ’n’ roll. Loose Lips deal in noise that’s equal parts ’70s punk and power pop, with hooks and riffs wrestling for dominance. The songs are lean and direct by design, but played with a swagger that oozes cool and feels quintessentially Australian. This is the kind of LP you drop on the turntable knowing full well you’ll be testing your speakers, because it begs you to crank the volume. Or better yet, it’s the record that makes you take the long way home, just to squeeze in another spin behind the wheel.

At some point this year, when the year-end roundup rolls around, I’ll have to rank this LP, the latest Unknowns record, and the upcoming one from The Prize (out Sept. 19th). That’s not a dilemma, that’s a luxury!