REVIEW: Rolling Stones - Foreign Tongues

 

The English rock legends, Rolling Stones recently released their 32nd album, Foreign Tongues, via Polydor Records.  Remaining members, Jagger, Richards and Wood are joined in the studio with producer Andrew Watt and drummer Steve Jordan and a host of special guests including, Robert Smith of The Cure, Steve Winwood, and Paul McCartney.  The resulting album captures the band’s legendary sound that flirts with nostalgia without sounding like a copy & paste version of what fans have come to expect over the course of six-plus decades.   

The album opens with a raucous and thumping blues-rock romp, “Rough And Twisted”, followed by the standout first single, “In The Stars” with its distinct guitar swagger and soaring chorus, it is easily one of the catchiest tunes the Stones have written in decades.  The second single, “Jealous Lover” showcases Mick’s falsetto vocals with a passionate plea set to a funky 80’s inspired soundscape.  “Mr. Charm” is driven by a head-nodding rhythm, the perfect soundtrack for Jagger’s signature strut.  Robert Smith of The Cure plays guitar on the standout track, “Divine Intervention” and he adds synths and background vocals to the funk-drenched blues rock of “Never Wanna Lose You”.  Another standout is “Ringing Hollow” a waltzing country & western moment with another infectious, sing-along chorus.  

Later, they pay tribute to the late, great Amy Winehouse with a great cover of her signature track, “You Know I’m No Good” and also memorialize their own late drummer, Charlie Watts with his feature on the super-charged “Hit Me In The Head”, a song written during sessions for their previous album.  McCartney adds his bass grooves to the scratchy and catchy “Covered In You”. The album closes out on a high note with the stripped-down Delta blues number, “Beautiful Delilah”.   

After 60 years, Rolling Stones have nothing at all to prove but with their excellent new album, Foreign Tongues, they prove it anyway...these guys are way too old to still sound this good! 

For more info: https://rollingstones.com/   

Stream “In The Stars” here: