Matt LuceyI hardly think the Stones need much of an introduction. An inarguable pillar of the Rock world, the Stones have been in the Zeitgeist since the 60s. With Jagger’s iconic moves inspiring song’s, Keith’s longevity inspiring conspiracies and the bands overall rock and roll image, The Rolling Stones are known far and wide. Having gathered an enormous fanbase over their years, the Stone’s have become known for their ability to perform with the energy of men half their age. Since their beginning, the band have been writing, recording and touring with such dedication that their song catalogue is beyond reproach. Even now, when the members are all in their 70s and 80’s, they still clearly have the same fire they’ve always had.
Recent Rock
Just a few years ago, the Stones brought out the album Hackney Diamonds, a stellar album. At the time, I reviewed the album and sang its praises. I had, I’m ashamed to admit, assumed that it would be their last. With the tragic passing of the esteemed drummer, Charlie Watts, in addition to their aforementioned ages, I’ll admit, I wasn’t going to hold my breath. You can imagine my shock, then, when a new single, in anticipation of a full album, graced my music feed. Before I get into the music itself, and my anticipation for the albums full release, let’s talk about the lead up.
The Stones New Release
This single was released in anticipation of their new album Foreign Tongues, which is due to release this July. As is to be expected with a band of this caliber, there was a full team behind the Production and Engineering of this project. The writing and composing was, as usual, mainly completed by Jagger and Richards themselves. The album is set to be released by Polydor Records on July 10th. There is already a great deal of anticipation behind this, as the pre-release has already hit the top 10 in the US charts.
In The Stars
The song itself, In The Stars, is quintessential Rolling Stones. The guitar tone alone is an iconic sound. While the riff comes in, setting the tone, until the vocals join the mix, shifting the focus. The drums, while present, don’t overcompensate. The iconic Stones sound is in full force here, with a riff that, while reminiscent of their classics, doesn’t feel re-used. The backing vocals also add volumes to this track, giving it a rounded sound when laid over the rest of the song.
While the band obviously took inspiration from more modern rock sounds, there is an evident throughline to their earlier work. The guitars play off one another, in typical Richards and Wood fashion. One guitar builds the song’s structure, leaving the other free to add texture and volume to the sound. Jaggers voice is another standout, just as clear and energetic as ever. He still demonstrates his capability of hitting each note perfectly. There’s something magical about a band that can play for 6 decades and still sound fresh.
The solo is, as usual, another standout. The Stones really understand the guitar solo, something which, in modern times, feels a bit like a unicorn. Something that many bands attempt, but which is hard to convey sincerely. It is refreshing, then, to hear a perfectly punctuated solo, nice and punchy, not overstepping its bounds. Pure nostalgia for this brand new song.
Conclusions
Need I say that I’m counting down the days until the full album release. This small taste has me as excited as ever to hear what the band has in store for us. If this single is any indication, then we can expect another absolute gem of an album in just a few weeks.
