Updated

Updated · The Associated Press · Jul 10

Rolling Stones Release 25th Album ‘Foreign Tongues’ With Charlie Watts Track as Jagger Nears 83

Updated

Updated · The Associated Press · Jul 10

Rolling Stones Release 25th Album ‘Foreign Tongues’ With Charlie Watts Track as Jagger Nears 83

Q: Does modern production elevate the Stones' new album, or does it erase their signature grit?

Modern production mostly elevates *Foreign Tongues*, but not without occasionally sanding down the Rolling Stones’ natural rough edges. The strongest evidence is in how Andrew Watt frames the band. Reviews describe the album as urgent, punchy and more guitar-centric than *Hackney Diamonds*, with Watt pushing the Stones to record live in one room and capture “magic moments” quickly. That approach helps tracks such as “Rough and Twisted,” “Back in Your Life” and Keith Richards’ “Some of Us” feel vivid, immediate and recognizably Stones-like. Critics also note that the album avoids trend-chasing production tricks and stays rooted in blues, bar-room rock and classic rock’n’roll. At the same time, several reviews say the polish can go too far. Compression, processed backing vocals and occasional “high-tech buffing” are cited as drawbacks, making parts of the record sound slicker and busier than the band’s ideal loose, live feel. Songs like “Side Effects” are singled out as weaker partly because the production leans too hard toward modern gloss. Some critics also hear a few moments that seem aimed at contemporary airplay rather than pure instinct. So the balance tilts in favor of enhancement, not erasure. Watt’s production gives the Stones energy, clarity and force at ages 82 and 83, and most critics agree their core identity survives intact. But the album is at its best when the modern sheen supports the band’s swing and grit, not when it tries to smooth them out.

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jul 10

Four-star reviews greeted “Foreign Tongues” as the Rolling Stones’ 25th studio album arrived with 14 tracks, extending the creative run they restarted with 2023’s Grammy-winning “Hackney Diamonds.”
Charlie Watts appears on “Hit Me in the Head” from a Los Angeles recording made before his 2021 death at 80, while Steve Jordan handles drums elsewhere on the album.
Paul McCartney plays bass on “Covered in You,” Bruno Mars adds cowbell to “Never Wanna Lose You,” and Steve Winwood and Robert Smith also guest under producer Andrew Watt.
Songs including “Ringing Hollow” and “Mr. Charm” give the record a sharper edge, mixing political unease and a jab at Elon Musk with the band’s usual blues-rock swagger.
Mick Jagger’s still-potent vocals and Keith Richards’ guitar work anchor an album reviewers say proves the 64-year-old band is still creating, not just revisiting its catalog.