One of music’s true icons, The Rolling Stones return with their twenty-fifth album, the first since the death of drummer Charlie Watts. It comes just three years after the release of their previous album, ‘Hackney Diamonds’, their first collection of new material since 2005. So the swift turnaround is almost unheard of in the band's history, where fans had grown accustomed to lengthy breaks between releases.
At its core, ‘Foreign Tongues’ is a classic rock album that highlights the band's instincts to make great rock music. However, in this case it doesn’t stick to just rock; they have dabbled in genres such as blues, R&B, and country, a real testament and often tribute to the genres that influenced the band’s early days.
Produced by Andrew Watt, who recently produced Paul McCartney’s new album ‘The Boys Of Dungeon Lane’. This album marks Watt's second collaboration with The Rolling Stones, having also produced 'Hackney Diamonds'. Watt's quality production can be noticed throughout the record, giving the album both punch and polish. The album also features a lengthy list of collaborations, from the likes of McCartney, Robert Smith, Chad Smith and Steve Winwood.
The album opens with ‘Rough And Twisted ', a guitar-led piece with pounding drums and harmonica. It's a busy arrangement with a lot of moving parts, but every part of this track blends so well together, making the song a fantastic opener and a great foot-tapper. ‘In the Stars’ follows, packed with all the classic Rolling Stones guitar hooks. While the lyrics lean on repetition that may test some listeners’ patience, the guitar work gives the track real drive and focus.
There's a switch in style with ‘Jealous Lover’ offering more of a soulful feel to the music. This track is quite notable, with Mick Jagger's vocals seeming a lot softer at times, compared to his trademark raspy vocals, which gradually return as the song progresses. ‘Mr Charm’ is a standout and a real treat to listen to. The vocal effect that Jagger puts on in this track is remarkable; it makes for a catchy and clever jam of a song. This track and ‘Hit Me In The Head’ include drum samples from the band's late drummer Charlie Watts, a fitting tribute to his legacy.
The sixth track, ‘Ringing Hollow’, leans into country in a Rolling Stones-style; it plays like a love letter to America. Jagger's vocals mixed with Keith Richards' backing vocals and a piano in the background make the song feel like something straight out of a cowboy film.
The Album features two covers; the first is of the iconic Amy Winehouse track ‘You Know I’m No Good’, which featured on her landmark ‘Back To Black’ Album. As soon as the track comes on, it becomes instantly recognisable; her style of music is solidly intact throughout this song, but with a classic Rolling Stones signature style added into the mix. It’s a good cover and a great tribute to her legacy.
Before the closer comes the emotional ‘Back in Your Life’, which is accompanied by a beautiful guitar solo from Ronnie Wood, that showcases him at his very best. It also includes a duet with Jagger where their voices really work together to add warmth and vulnerability; Jagger's voice with Ronnie’s guitar solo and emotional vocals really make this track a standout. Speaking to Billboard, Wood states that this track pays homage to his late friends Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys and soul and funk legend Sly Stone, both of whom passed away in 2025.
The album closer goes full blues with a tribute piece to the late great Chuck Berry. This is a cover of his song ‘Sweet Delliah’, a great climactic finale to the album which rounds everything up rather nicely, giving the album a classic jam session style to it, and nodding to more than one of the band's influences.
All in all, the album was a surprise because after many decades of music, The Rolling Stones are still putting out music that feels full of intent and focused. It definitely seems like they have put a lot of passion into the release, especially with the variety of genres and sounds on this record. The 14-track album 'Foreign Tongues' is due to be released on Friday 10th July via Polydor/Capitol.
Jack Smith
Image: ‘Foreign Tongues’ Official Album Cover