Album Review: The Rolling Stones - Foreign Tongues

The Rolling Stones 

Foreign Tongues

**and1/2 out of *****

In reviewing The Rolling Stones previous release, 2023's Hackney Diamonds, I stated:

No one outside of the band needed A Bigger Bang in 2005, and the same holds true for Hackney Diamonds in 2023. Also, no one should ever tell artists when to quit, and the fact that Mick, Keith, and Ronnie wanted to go through the writing/recording/release process all over again (with a host of A list friends helping them out) is perfectly fine.

The same holds true for their follow-up, 2026's Foreign Tongues, which is a better, yet still inconsequential, record from one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all-time.  

For this album the Stones trio return (with the last recordings with Charlie Watt) along with their supporting cast (Steve Jordan and Darryl Jones) and more friends to deliver a mix of all of their past styles. There is a nice sprinkling of disco Stones, blues Stones, country Stones and a host of corporate rockers that they can license for various commercials.  

Working again with producer/multi-instrumentalist Andrew Watt, the band stay invigorated, yet much more loose this go around, which is a net-positive. Things were wound so tight on Hackney Diamonds that it felt desperate, on Foreign Tongues the songs flow at a more relaxed pace. 

The album opens strong with a blues groove, vibrant guitars, backing vocals and great harmonica from Jagger as "Rough & Twisted" bumps out. The snarling rocker "Mr. Charm" is another highlight as the band digs into what they do best with gorgeous additional backing vocals from Naarai Jacobs. The overall top effort here finds the band using a Charlie Watt drum beat, as the punky feeling delivers the Stones at their ramshackle finest during "Hit Me in the Head", using great bass from Watt, screeching guitars and Jagger's distorted harmonica being the cherry on top. 

The country vibe is alive up on "Ringing Hollow" which increases the twang and political unease as Jagger shines a light on the current state of America with lines like "I wanna scream out loud, yeah Liberty's not looking too well. She's got another crack in her bell. Lady Liberty don't look so good When she's wearing a scowl". Switching gears the band cover Amy Winehouse with a soulful version of "You Know I'm No Good" which, unsurprisingly, fits them well. 

The mid 70's feeling is recalled with tracks like "Divine Intervention" while the disco Stones arrive on the drawn out and lame "Never Wanna Lose Ya" and the better "Jealous Lover", delivering strong falsetto singing from Mick, proving Jagger's grandfather libido is still revving. On the other hand his partner in crime Keith Richards sounds tired on his lead vocals during the ballad "Some Of Us" (with both Steve Winwood and Benmont Tench on keys) whose over the top dramatic music doesn't match the exasperated vocals. Like on Hackney Diamonds, Richard's guitar lines are lesser, but Mick's harmonica does help on that front as Jagger more than ever seems to be running the show.  

The modern Stones try to fuse their dirty past and more corporate present on a few songs with mixed results. "Covered In You" (with Paul McCartney on bass) feels sloppy and exciting before a milquetoast chorus makes the tune too sappy, while "In The Stars" wants to be sleazy Stones rock but also delivers Disney like theatrics, mixing up sounds for an odd overall listen. 

Two misses, the growing old "Side Effects" and the overly mawkish "Back In Your Life" weigh down the close of the album with too much cheese, but the finale, "Beautiful Delilah" goes back to the bands blues roots with acoustic slide playing and nothing but Mick's confident vocals, wrapping things up grounded and positive.    

In the already mentioned Hackney Diamonds review I also stated this: 

Then again, what is expected from 80 year old rockers? Overall, this is not a bad album...and maybe the fact that it exists at all on a totally acceptable-to-many-bands/middle-of-the-road level, is a complete success on its own

Again the same could be stated here, on a even better overall album. The Rolling Stones want to keep making music that is far from a joke as it recalls their strongest moments, who is going to stop them? Besides, they say they have at least one more album coming soon...

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