The Rolling Stones have released their 25th studio album, *Foreign Tongues*, marking another energetic chapter in the band’s enduring career. The album, out on July 10, features collaborations with notable artists including Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, and Robert Smith of The Cure, and is produced by Andrew Watt, known for revitalizing the sound of veteran musicians.

At an average age of 81 among the core members—Mick Jagger (82), Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood—the band continues to defy expectations associated with their longevity. The album opens with *Hit Me In The Head*, a high-energy punk-inflected track with Jagger delivering lyrics about living boldly in the face of mortality. This spirit of immediacy is a recurring theme across the album.

*Foreign Tongues* explores a variety of musical styles, moving fluidly through blues, country, and soul. It begins with the raw blues number *Rough And Twisted*, where Jagger narrates a journey to a remote town, and closes with an acoustic cover of Chuck Berry’s *Beautiful Delilah*. Between these bookends are tracks that showcase the band's versatility. For example, *Jealous Lover* highlights Jagger’s falsetto in a soul-inflected ballad, while *Ringing Hollow* offers a laid-back country vibe that reflects his affection for America, with lyrics that touch on contemporary themes including the symbolic state of Lady Liberty.

Robert Smith’s contributions are evident on *Divine Intervention*, a classic Stones blues-rock number, and on the more chaotic *Never Wanna Lose You*, where he adds synthesizers and vocals. Despite the presence of these guest artists, the album remains rooted in the distinctive Stones sound rather than reflecting the collaborators’ own styles.

Paul McCartney appears on *Covered In You*, playing bass, while the band also delivers a reinterpretation of Amy Winehouse’s *You Know I’m No Good*, backed by the interplay of Richards’ and Wood’s guitars. Throughout the album, Jagger’s vocal performances maintain a strong presence, reinforcing the band’s enduring vitality.

Produced by Andrew Watt, who previously worked with the Stones on 2023’s *Hackney Diamonds* as well as with McCartney and Madonna, *Foreign Tongues* carries an intensity and cohesiveness that critics describe as a return to form for the group.

Overall, *Foreign Tongues* is both a celebration of the Rolling Stones’ musical roots and an assertive statement about embracing life in the present, encapsulated in tracks like *In The Stars*, where Jagger invites listeners to “dance ’til the roof caves in.” Decades into their career, the band shows no signs of slowing down.