The Rolling Stones - Foreign Tongues
Twenty-five albums in, do The Rolling Stones still have it?
Recent years have been rich for late-career releases of varying genre, passion and quality by legendary bands from previous eras; among them were the iconic Rolling Stones, releasing their twenty-fourth album Hackney Diamonds in 2023 after a seven-year hiatus. Just three years after that album, however, the English veterans have returned with their newest album, Foreign Tongues. In many ways, it feels like a continuation of ideas and sounds from its predecessor, and also has similar flaws.
From an instrumental performance standpoint, the album is strong as ever, particularly when it comes to the guitar work. The riffs are catchy, the composition is solid (though certain songs, such as the six-minute “Back In Your Life”, are arguably longer than necessary), and the instruments mesh well. Songs like “Divine Intervention” have upbeat, danceable grooves; the opener “Rough And Twisted” is also an excellent track from an instrumental standpoint and kicks things off in an engaging way that keeps the listener interested in what comes next.
The mixing, however, leaves a little to be desired, particularly when it comes to the balance between Mick Jagger’s vocals and the music – throughout the majority of the tracklist, especially on songs like “Ringing Hollow”, he sounds strangely distant, like his voice is coming from across the room. The vocals themselves are solid, though – particularly for how many years Jagger is into his career. When Keith Richards takes on singing duties on “Some Of Us”, his lower-pitched, gruffer delivery is also very charming in its own unique way. There is also a cover of the Amy Winehouse classic “You Know I’m No Good”, which is a surprising inclusion, but is well-executed, and ends up being one of the stronger tracks on the project.
The lyrics aren’t particularly a standout element of the project, but they don’t stick out as a flaw, either; Jagger and Richards’ work together is effective as always, complimenting the instrumentals well and even bringing some really compelling emotional moments in places, such as on the aforementioned, ballad-like “Some Of Us”.
Foreign Tongues is, by all intents and purposes, exactly what can be expected from the Rolling Stones at this stage in their career. It plays it quite safe, leaning just the right amount into welcome nostalgia to appease long-term listeners and fans without taking any big risks. Some of the tracks overstay their welcome somewhat, and the production could be tighter, but for anyone excited for new music from The Rolling Stones, this record won’t disappoint.
6.5/10
