New Song Alert: The Rolling Stones Announce New LP, ‘Foreign Tongues,’ Release Single “In The Stars” – Oh, Yes!

The Stones are back, baby!

After a few weeks of “marketing tease” the Stones finally formally announced their new album, Foreign Tongues, being released on July 10th this year. As part of the announcement the Stones released the first “official” single from the album, “In The Stars.”

This album follows the great Hackney Diamonds which came out less than three years ago in October of 2023. Considering that prior to Hackney Diamonds the Stones previous LP was released 18 years before (the late career gem A Bigger Bang), I consider a new Stones LP after 2 1/2 years a reason to celebrate. It’s only 9am here, but is it too early for whiskey? Probably…but just probably…

The new album is once again produced by the white-hot producer of the day, Andrew Watt. Watt has worked with Iggy Pop, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Ozzy, Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder, amongst others. Most notably right now is he’s worked with the Stones on Foreign Tongues and Paul McCartney’s upcoming disc The Boys Of Dungeon Lane. McCartney’s new single dropped a few weeks ago, “The Days We Left Behind.” New Stones and solo Beatles all in a few weeks! Pinch me, baby, am I dreaming? Is it 1972?

Speaking of the “marketing tease” I mentioned before, I have to admit, I’m impressed with the Stones’ marketing department. They started with the whole Cockroaches thing and even announced a single under their old pseudonym, used for the famous El Mocambo show, the raw bluesy “Rough And Twisted.” The point of hyping something is create a buzz, and boy did they!

While “Rough And Twisted” was a great tune, it didn’t feel like a first single to me. Anybody who thinks Watt’s production is making the Stones’ sound too polished, needs to crank “Rough And Twisted” a few times. It’s old fashion Stonesy blues rock. It’s now also available to stream with “In The Stars.” It’s a great, rockin’ track.

I have to admit I had to listen to “In The Stars” a couple of times before it became an obvious single to me. It didn’t grab me the way “Angry” did off the last album. But in the interest of full disclosure, my expectations on Stones’ first singles is pretty high. I wasn’t crazy about “Start Me Up” until I brought Tattoo You home and heard it a few times.

“In The Stars” starts with a falsetto “woo” from Jagger with some piano (from longtime sideman Matt Clifford) that’s just ethereal. Then the guitars kick in. People have suggested Keith doesn’t play much on the Stones LPs these days… it sounds like he does to me.

The new song has everything I want in a Stones’ single, even though I had to listen a few times to understand that. After that ethereal start, the guitars kick in and Mick is barking lyrics like a man half his age. The chorus just soars… it bores into your brain.

Former Heartbreaker Benmont Tench plays organ on the track. Watt adds some guitar as well. Interestingly it’s Ronnie Wood who plays bass on both “In The Stars” and “Rough And Twisted,” as he used to do in the original Jeff Beck Group.

Here is the link to both “In The Stars” and “Rough And Twisted,” which it’s nice that everybody who didn’t stand in line for the vinyl-only release of that one can finally hear:

The world is on fire these days, but we have a new Stones album on the way to get us through this dark time. I’m pretty excited for this one, but then the Stones have always been my Alpha & Omega. My first album ever was Some Girls. 

I usually don’t comment on such things, but the album art for the new disc leaves a little to be desired. It’s a drawing of the three remaining Stones merged together. I think Charlie might be included too… It’s very 70s. I don’t hate it but a lot people might.

The album is 14 tracks long. They ended Hackney Diamonds with the wonderful Muddy Waters’ track that gave them their name, “Rolling Stone Blues,” and the new one will end with a Chuck Berry cover, “Beautiful Delilah.” How perfect, considering when they started Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry were their guiding lights. It’s a nice way to pay tribute to their roots.

I can’t wait for this one! Take care of each other out there! Cheers!