12:01 AM. Here it is\u2026 I press play and\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\u2026and I think it's almost incredible if not inhuman that a band can still churn out such vibrant rock 'n' roll albums over sixty years after their debut. And yet Foreign Tongues<\/em> <\/strong>It can stand tall among the Rolling Stones' most intense and evocative works. Of course, it takes some getting used to Andrew Watt's polished production, which catapults the band into the present while they tangibly relive seven decades of history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 1972, the legendary critic Lester Bangs<\/strong> described the Stones on Cream<\/em> like a band that \u201cit seems to emanate change, but in reality it limits itself to reworking the most solid elements of its repertoire\u201d<\/em>. Back then this meant the turbo-riffs of Keith Richards<\/strong> and the animated vocals of Mick Jagger<\/strong>, capable of transforming the blues and rock'n'roll that had shaped them, together with the country, funk and ballads that they had already elevated to an art form. With Ronnie Wood<\/strong> By their side for fifty years, that's exactly what the Stones have continued to do, sometimes surprisingly so. As Richards stated after turning sixty in 2003:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSince no one has ever done this before, there are expected to be ups and downs\u2026 We\u2019re just moving forward and seeing where we end up.\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The excitement a new Stones album still generates after seven decades is palpable. Although the album's release was announced in Brooklyn, American talk show style, the band played with the mystery on social media before the rousing Chicago-style blues number, Rough And Twisted<\/em><\/strong>, briefly appeared in record shops on 12-inch vinyl under the secret pseudonym used in 1970s concerts: The Cockroaches<\/em><\/strong>. Needless to say, it immediately reached three-figure figures on eBay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The dirty guitars, Jagger's incendiary harmonica and an almost unstoppable energy \u2013 which in '63 would have driven the Crawdaddy<\/em> \u2013 they were a great sign. The final confirmation came from the B-side. In The Stars<\/strong><\/em>, the album's first single, with a chorus that recalls Gimme Shelter<\/em>, Keef's massive riff and Mick's driving vocals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Foreign Tongues<\/strong><\/em> was completed last year after a month at London's Metropolis Studio with the 35-year-old prodigy producer Andrew Watt<\/strong> (already behind Paul McCartney's latest, nostalgic work). It was Macca himself who told Woody about the producer during the sessions. Hackney Diamonds<\/strong><\/em> in 2022, a fascinating echo of the 1960s, when the Stones and the Beatles coordinated release dates so as not to overlap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite a decidedly uninspired cover, after the first listen Foreign Tongues<\/em> It turns out to be a pure Stones classic, even superior to the previous installment. Far from being a simple salvage of outtakes, only four of the fourteen tracks date back to old sessions, including the second track with Macca's bass and the precious final track with Charlie Watts' drums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Returning to the spirit of the 60s, when music magazines reviewed works track by track, this remains the best way to approach such a carefully constructed album:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some Of Us<\/strong><\/em> This is Keith's vocal track, always one of the most anticipated moments. Rich in heartfelt nuances, it stands alongside his great ballads of the '90s. His passionate voice, supported by emotional crescendos and swirling organ, takes on a universal and poignant perspective in the chorus:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll we need is a little love \/ You ripped my heart out \/ You know we can't have it all, some of us are on our knees.\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n After the curated funk of Side Effects<\/strong><\/em>, the epic soul ballad Back In Your Life<\/strong><\/em> It becomes the album's climax. Recorded the week of Sly Stone and Brian Wilson's passing in June 2025, Jagger delivers his most intense vocal performance yet, losing himself in a lonely plea while Woody pours out his grief in a torrential guitar solo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like the historical Rolling Stone Blues<\/strong><\/em> by Muddy Waters closed the previous chapter, Foreign Tongues<\/em> takes leave of Mick and Keith who, accompanied by Chad Smith,<\/strong> They're coming home. An intimate, acoustic version of Beautiful Delilah<\/em><\/strong> by Chuck Berry, a classic from their very first concerts in 1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the 70s journalists have been asking the band: \u201cWill this be your last album?\u201d<\/em>. Many people take it for granted this time too. But Keith gave the best answer at the press conference: \u201cEntering the studio is just about seeing where it takes us. There's still something there. And that's exactly what we're looking for.\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With this level of form, Keith, we really hope so too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And now\u2026 shall we listen to it together?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
The return of the "Barafondi" and the Chicago scratch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Andrew Watt's shiny suit and analog soul<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nKeith's Vulnerability and the Acoustic Testament<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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