The Rolling Stones : "Foreign Tongues"

 I've been a fan of these guys for as long as I have listened to music. In my early teen years along with David Bowie they were one of the only non-metal bands I listened to though in hindsight you could include Kiss and Alice Cooper to that list, bands the Stones influenced. They drew the distinction between the Beatles' pop music and their rock music by calling them a rock band with balls. For that reason, I  am always hoping these guys will go out on a high note. This is album 25, what more could they want? I think it's either Mick's or Keith's death that will be the end of this band. Their last album was great, so it's not a matter of quality. This was, in fact, recorded during those sessions. The boys are both 82, well past the age anyone should be making rock n roll

. "In the Stars" is plugged into their classic attitude. The opening track had a more blues-based feeling than the previous album. The fact that an 82-year-old man gets up into his falsetto is crazy. Steve Jordan plays drums for every song but track 8, which has a Charlie Watts take on it. "Mr Charm" stays true to what they do. "Divine Intervention" is not my favorite song so far, but it is a representation of what the band is about and conveys that. They dig into their countryside for 'Ringing Hollow".  It sounds like they haven't aged a day when they go to this place. 

The song I was looking forward to is "Never Want to Lose You' which finds Smith contributing backing vocals and synths. A big compliment to Smith as both Paul McCartney and Bruno Mars are on this labum but not sining with Paul playing bass, and Mars playing cowbell, which shows how seriously they take him. It does not bear any semblance of the Cure but finds Smith blending with what they do. He sits behind Mick in the mix until they do a call and response. 

They dig back into rock with more earnestness on "Hit Me in the Head."  The Amy Winehouse cover is weird but works for what they do. Richard's voice has not aged as well as Jagger's, but he makes it through "Some of Us". "Covered in You" finds them getting back into their strut. This might be the album's best song. "Side Effects" was well produced, and if you pay close attention, you hear how they give Mick's voice some love in post-production. It is the first song that feels like filler. I was expecting "Back in Your Life" to be a ballad, and it is. Despite Mick sounding great, the verses don't really grab me, though the chorus gets the job done. It is loaded down with guitar solos so if that is why you showed up then it is worth it.

The album closes with a Chuck Berry cover. Which makes sense given Richards' friendship with him, but leans all the way into their blues roots. While it's more rooted in their classic sound and the production is marginally more organic, it's on par with "Hackney Diamonds," meaning not their classic work but better than msot of the post-"Steel Wheels" material, so I will give it a 9.5.