The Rolling Stones’ latest studio album, is one that sees them reflect, relax, and enjoy themselves after a decade-spanning career. There’s nothing foreign about the sound of Foreign Tongues, it’s sharp, lively, driving and passionate rock n’ roll at its finest. Somehow in their eighties, The Rolling Stones feels like a vintage vehicle that just keeps going, a little oil and it still drives as hard and fast as it did in the early days – not to mention it sounds bloody good too! A helpful serving of modern production flare from producer Andrew Watt, and we clearly have some hidden gems in the track listing. Additional guest appearances from the likes of Steve Winwood, Robert Smith, Paul McCartney, and Chad Smith, are sprinkled throughout, plus a near final take from the late Charlie Watts. What isn’t there to like? Let’s dive in.
‘Rough And Twisted’ is the kind of opener that couldn’t possibly be positioned anywhere else on the record. It serves the introduction well, declaring confidently that the show is open. A lone gritty guitar beckons intermittently in the left channel, before a response is met with a greasy 6-string on the right channel, shortly accompanied by pulsing drums and bass. Suddenly, you could be listening to a Sticky Fingers or Exile on Main St era Stones single. It has all the hallmarks, with the same brashness that we all know and love. Throw in the honky-tonk styled piano, harmonica and even a saxophone, and you’ve got a masterclass in the very building blocks that make up a thriller Stones track. Once the song has you in its grips, it doesn’t let up and proceeds to stamp it’s feet and jeer it’s head for a rocking four and half minutes. Garage and Blues Rock is alive and very healthy at this point, even having the guts to reference Muddy Waters in the lyrics. This clearly paying homage to the blues inspired sound. It’s quite a cheeky moment when Mick sings “Drive me, drive me, drive me” near the end of the song, when he knows all too well that the song is in fact driving the listener. Absolute belter to begin.
‘In The Stars’ was the first single to be released for Foreign Tongues, as it finds itself armed with a catchy riff and hook that makes it an instantly recognizable rock-pop song. This track demonstrates that sometimes it’s the simplest formulas that fly the farthest. The verses are characterized by the drums anchoring the beat for the lyrics to come atop, before trading the vocals for equally rhythmic guitar licks. This is nothing new for the Stones, it’s a tried and tested way of formatting songs, and for good reason. The chorus, however, takes an unexpected turn, doubling down on the choral intro and leaning into something more tender, bright and uplifting. The ‘Ooos’ are a nice invitation for audience participation based on feel and nothing too technical. Again, this is what makes the song a very strong number.
Perhaps the most esteemed achievement on this album though, is the third single – ‘Jealous Lover’. It presents itself as a bit of a jazzy pop song. The Stones adopting a more refined sounding palate, choosing keyboard and very intentional guitar arpeggios over raw power chords and backing beat. The effect this has, is that the sound parallels the attempt from our song’s narrator trying to communicate with their lover. It has this enticing push and pull – creating a clear hook for our ears. It’s a nice contrast to the rest of the rawness that the Stones are typically known for. Mick Jagger has a particularly notable use of his high-end falsetto abilities, immediately making the track a highlight. His rasp and rattle on the end of the naturally fitting crescendos are very satisfying to hear. Of course, we couldn’t forget ‘Jealous Lover’’s music video featuring Anya Taylor-Joy, which shows off fun choreography alongside the music.
Further into the album, we get different variations of The Rolling Stone’s styles. One of them is when Keith has a spotlight moment to sing ‘Some of Us’. Keith isn’t afraid to show a bit of vulnerability with his oddly warm yet gravelly vocal performance. It’s quite the change in timbre, but signals a real maturity in songwriting and versatility. The choice to have Keith leading all vocals until the final refrain where Mick comes in with backing vocals to symbolize his support of Keith, who’s signing about the need to be loved, is quite effective. The softer rock style is perfectly reminiscent of the song’s sentiment.
Then you have the likes of ‘You Know I’m No Good’, one of those Stones songs that just seems to grow on you. At first, it appears very moody, like its sleuthing its way through a velvety whiskey bar. As the song grows, it slowly becomes less concerned about being aloof and instead just calls itself out for not being so kosher. The way this effect sneaks up on us, is something the Stones have always been versed at, they’re able to evoke that je ne sais quoi! Listen out for the harmonica on the very last few bars of the song. It reverberates at such a tantilising rate, that it sounds almost unrecognizable. It really itches like that auditory bug we didn’t know we had.
If you’re more on the lookout for sharp guitars, then ‘Covered In You’ will be a notable pitstop along the course of the album. This one feature’s Ronnie and Keith exchanging flashes of licks, utilizing various effects from the left and right. It goes from tin-pan alley to stage left without a hitch. The way the Stones can so succinctly transition from gritty and raunchy verses to pop-rock choruses, might just be their master ingredient for having stayed relevant for this long.
Closing out, we have two brilliant latecomers. ‘Back In Your Life’ is something of an acoustic number to begin with, and becomes something larger as it layers on more production to build a heartfelt love song. It’s one that many will relate to, a friends to lovers trope. The song tells this story about getting to know each other on another level, one that is confusing and takes some time. It seems that over the course of the change of hearts, it goes from something novel, to something special, to finally something threatening to end. Mick sings about not wanting the friendship foundation between them to disappear as a result. Polished textures make this song feel important, like it really wants the person to hear the message clearly. As it goes, it seems to be holding all the sonic pieces together, until Mick breaks the fourth wall and says “Yeah, come on Ronnie”, to which Ronnie lets his instrument cry. He goes for a little solo, beginning with one long wail, followed by a silence that lingers just long enough for you to think it’s over. He then follows on to continue expressing the raw emotion that is pent up in the song. It’s gorgeous.
The album could have sonically ended with ‘Back In Your Life’ in the way that it feels so grand and cinematic, but instead, there’s a moment of silence before ‘Beautiful Delilah’ comes jamming into the scene to round Foreign Tongues out. ‘Beautiful Delilah’ is a ragtag number, about as devilishly bluesy as you can get. It features a significant echo on Mick’s vocals and lower fidelity production on the entire mix, contrasting with the rest of the album. The song’s subject matter is a beau of intense appeal, so good, that Mick sings “Well you are so tantilising, you just can’t be true”. Effectively paying homage to the 1930’s blues that birthed the Stones’ core inspirational genre and style. This song nails the execution of a bygone era in music. Although it’s meant to sound old, it has that Rolling Stones consistency and flare that is unmistakably them. A bit of pedal steel makes this song pop, and with it, the audience is treated to a true reminder of the spirit behind the band’s music.
Hackney Diamonds had to be a warm-up compared to what’s on offer with Foreign Tongues, it has a confidence that feels more self-assured and comfortable. They’re able to relax into their signature groove, and for it, the music finds itself ‘in the pocket’. Mick’s vocals are as strong as they have ever been, sounding unusually youthful and full of zest. Meanwhile, Ronnie and Keith’s symbiotic axe work still feels loose enough to be fun, yet tight enough to be cohesive. That balance has always been what the Stones do best. It’s that edge in any sense of rock music, that’s sharp enough to bite, yet still caress our ears. It’s always a gamble with older bands going back into the studio, but some just have that endurance in them, and it’d be difficult to argue that the Stones haven’t got the stuff. Enjoy.
