Album Review: The Rolling Stones, Foreign Tongues

There must be something in the water, or maybe it’s the geriatric multivitamins! First Ringo releases a cracking new album, then McCartney does the same. Not to be outdone, Mick, Keef and Ronnie unveil a new Stones album with enough energy and sass to put bands a quarter of their age to shame.

McCartney is obviously enjoying a new lease of life: here, he contributes some sprightly bass to the snappy rock shuffle of ‘Covered In You’. Legendary Stones sticksmith Charlie Watts may have gone to the great jam session in the sky, but the album includes one of his final recording sessions from 2021 on the hard rocking ‘Hit Me In The Head’, which wouldn’t be out of place on a 1980s’ Mötley Crüe record.

That’s not the end of the guests. Cure frontman Robert Smith takes time out from singing with Olivia Rodrigo to add guitar to the apocalypse-ignoring ‘Divine Intervention’ and synths/backing vocals to the catchy ‘Never Wanna Lose You’, which also features Bruno Mars on cowbell. Steve Winwood plays organ on three tracks, including ‘Jealous Lover’, where Jagger’s falsetto sees him doing his best Prince impression.

Even without the star turns, the trio manage to create magic. ‘Rough And Twisted’ starts like ‘Spirit In the Sky’ before morphing into something far more sinuous, rooted in old school rhythm and blues, the emphasis firmly on the latter, while the ear-worm rock ‘n’ soul of ‘Mr Charm’ is as catchy as some of the gems in their vast back catalogue.

Richards takes over lead vocals on ‘Some Of Us’, apparently revived from an unreleased 1980s demo; his grizzled tonsils may be weathered but they’re remarkably emotive. Countrified ballad ‘Ringing Hollow’ sees the Stones giving their take on the state of America: “There’s always a scoundrel trying to whip up the crowd… Lady Liberty don’t look so good when she’s wearing a frown.”

Their cover of Amy Winehouse’s ‘You Know I’m No Good’ proves just how big a songwriting talent she was, and finishing with Chuck Berry’s ‘Beautiful Delilah’ is a knowing nod to their roots: their first ever recorded release was Berry’s ‘Come On’ in 1963.

They may look like Spitting Image versions of their former selves, but these Stones are still gloriously growing old disgracefully.

8/10