Mick, Keith and Ron Still Have Something Important To Say… and It’s Worth Hearing
Song of the Day: “In The Stars” by The Rolling Stones
It’s truly a testament to the sheer, stubborn audacity of The Rolling Stones that they have released Foreign Tongues in 2026. At an age where most people are merely debating the merits of various garden fertilizers, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ron Wood are back at it, proving that if you keep plugging in the amplifiers long enough, the world eventually stops asking “why?” and just accepts it as a law of physics. Following the surprising vitality of 2023’s Hackney Diamonds, this new outing feels less like a victory lap and more like a band simply refusing to leave the party while the music is still playing.
In the broader context of their sprawling, six-decade discography, Foreign Tongues serves as a fascinating companion to their mid-nineties output—a period where they often seemed to be chasing trends they had long since mastered. Here, the energy is different. Under the stewardship of Producer Andrew Watt, the band sounds less concerned with proving their relevance and more focused on simply occupying the space they’ve already carved out for themselves. They aren’t trying to sound like the 1972 version of themselves, which is a relief. Instead, they’ve settled into a comfortable, slightly grumpy, and occasionally political groove that feels honest for men who have spent more time on tour buses and planes than in their own living rooms.
While the album offers plenty of the usual blues-rock stomping we’ve come to expect, it’s “In The Stars” that firmly plants its flag as the record’s true standout. It manages to pull off the rare trick of sounding both vintage and vital (and the official video linked below reflects that by starring age-regressed versions of Mick, Keith and Ron). Where other tracks might lean into the band’s well-worn tropes–like the pop perfection of “Divine Intervention” or the cheeky “Shattered”-esque delivery of “Mr. Charm”–”In The Stars” finds Jagger navigating a space of genuine retrospection. When he sings, “I was standing there when the lightning struck,” he’s not just rehashing blues mythology; he’s acknowledging the sheer statistical improbability of his own career. It’s a track that feels like a reflective nod to the “crossfire hurricane” of their early days (see what I did there?), trading the youthful, manic energy for a sort of hard-won, sky-gazing wisdom that suits them surprisingly well.
Ultimately, Foreign Tongues isn’t going to dethrone Sticky Fingers or Exile on Main St., but it doesn’t need to. It’s a surprisingly tight, focused record that avoids the bloat of their late-career missteps. “In The Stars” anchors the experience, providing a moment of sincerity that cuts through the surrounding rock-and-roll clamor. It is a reminder that while the Stones have always been the ultimate practitioners of a certain kind of swagger, they’ve still got enough gas in the tank to offer something that doesn’t feel entirely recycled.
The Song
Spotify:
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/song/in-the-stars/6764865395
The Album
Spotify:
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/foreign-tongues/1895941732
The Band
Be sure to check out the Audio Toxicity 2026 Bad Music Detox Protocol (AKA a playlist of songs covered so far…)